The use of the marmoset in toxicity testing and nonclinical safety assessment studies
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is an important nonhuman primate (NHP) model that has been used in both chemical toxicity and pharmaceutical safety assessment testing. These NHPs have a number of features that can make them a useful model for toxicologists, including small size, easy handling, early maturation, and high fecundity. They are especially attractive models for evaluating both the efficacy and safety of novel compounds in selected disease models. The ability to create disease models in a small NHP and test small quantities of novel pharmaceutical compounds early in drug development has proven especially useful in certain drug discovery and development programs. Marmosets have provided an alternative species for evaluation of biotherapeutic molecules when macaque species are not the NHP of choice or where the challenge and expense of synthesis of material necessitates a smaller animal model. Macaque species remain the NHP model of choice for most pharmaceutical safety assessment studies, but marmosets should not be excluded as useful alternative NHPs for select studies and programs.
