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Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease (CVMD)

Integrate cardiovascular safety aligned to ICH E14/S7B Q&As, cardiometabolic pharmacology, bioanalysis, and SEND into one nonclinical plan—so you can progress GLP‑1 and CKM‑relevant therapies with confidence.
older woman getting her heart checked by a provider

Why CVMD needs an integrated nonclinical approach

Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases continue to represent a leading global cause of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden. Cardiometabolic comorbidities—diabetes, obesity, CKD, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)—interact across the cardio‑kidney‑metabolic (CKM) spectrum and influence CV risk and therapeutic response. These conditions are multifactorial and interdependent, making early‑stage drug development particularly complex.

Deliver treatment solutions to patients faster with Labcorp's integrated nonclinical approach

Save time and gain efficiency with end‑to‑end CVMD safety, metabolism, and regulatory integration. Our Early Phase Development Solution integrated approach to development guides you through the long and complex scientific and regulatory process to maximize the value of your asset. Through our dedicated team of scientific, regulatory, and program management advisors, we create a prospective plan to manage and communicate milestones, risk, and budgets to stakeholders and integrate insights across your program for smarter decision-making.

Build an ICH‑aligned, decision‑grade package that can reduce clinical TQT burden when nonclinical best‑practice assays are negative.


Services include:

  • Patch clamp electrophysiology and in vitro ion channel assessment to identify and reduce cardiac risk earlier in discovery

  • Microfluidic flow‑based atherosclerosis models and other NAM platforms to provide early mechanistic insight into endothelial activation, platelet function, and immune cell adhesion

  • ICH E14/S7B Q&A‑compliant hERG and in vivo QT testing, including concentration-QTc modelling to support modern cardiovascular safety expectations and inform clinical ECG strategy

  • Selected ion channel assessments (e.g., hERG; additional channels as appropriate) to refine electrophysiologic risk characterization

  • Human iPSC‑derived cardiomyocyte testing via partner, when appropriate, to identify potential liabilities earlier in development

Support GLP‑1, dual‑incretin, and CKM‑relevant therapies where gastric motility and tolerability are critical to clinical success with Labcorp's focused GI safety pharmacology offerings.


Capabilities include:

  • Gastric emptying

  • Gastric damage

  • Gastric secretion (rat)

  • GI transit + gastric emptying combined studies (rat and mouse)
     

These studies help characterize GI tolerability, differentiate mechanisms, and complement cardiovascular and metabolic safety data to build a cohesive nonclinical package.

Generate sensitive signals in dedicated telemetry facilities with a centralized ECG team for consistent reads across studies and programs. 


Capabilities include:

  • Telemetry technology options across rodent and large-animal platforms (PhysioTel™ L11, L21 (to include Left Ventricular Pressure), M11, and HDseries), plus options to collect cardiovascular data on toxicology studies (including jacket-free ECG/hemodynamic collection)

  • Rodent and nonrodent echocardiography to complement ECG and hemodynamic endpoints

  • Centralized ECG analysis to support consistency, quality, and interpretive confidence across studies and programs
     

Rapidly quantify mechanism, dose–response, and metabolic endpoints to guide transition into safety pharmacology and IND-enabling workflows.


Representative models/endpoints:

  • Diabetes: STZ (T1D), ob/ob mouse; Zucker rat (T2D)

  • Obesity: DIO models; Dyslipidemia/Hypercholesterolemia

  • Glucose dynamics: Oral/IV/IP glucose challenge

  • MASH & fibrosis: AMLN/GAN, CCl-induced fibrosis
     

Build an ICH‑aligned, decision‑grade package that can reduce clinical TQT burden when nonclinical best‑practice assays are negative.


Services include:

  • Patch clamp electrophysiology and in vitro ion channel assessment to identify and reduce cardiac risk earlier in discovery

  • Microfluidic flow‑based atherosclerosis models and other NAM platforms to provide early mechanistic insight into endothelial activation, platelet function, and immune cell adhesion

  • ICH E14/S7B Q&A‑compliant hERG and in vivo QT testing, including concentration-QTc modelling to support modern cardiovascular safety expectations and inform clinical ECG strategy

  • Selected ion channel assessments (e.g., hERG; additional channels as appropriate) to refine electrophysiologic risk characterization

  • Human iPSC‑derived cardiomyocyte testing via partner, when appropriate, to identify potential liabilities earlier in development

Support GLP‑1, dual‑incretin, and CKM‑relevant therapies where gastric motility and tolerability are critical to clinical success with Labcorp's focused GI safety pharmacology offerings.


Capabilities include:

  • Gastric emptying

  • Gastric damage

  • Gastric secretion (rat)

  • GI transit + gastric emptying combined studies (rat and mouse)
     

These studies help characterize GI tolerability, differentiate mechanisms, and complement cardiovascular and metabolic safety data to build a cohesive nonclinical package.

Generate sensitive signals in dedicated telemetry facilities with a centralized ECG team for consistent reads across studies and programs. 


Capabilities include:

  • Telemetry technology options across rodent and large-animal platforms (PhysioTel™ L11, L21 (to include Left Ventricular Pressure), M11, and HDseries), plus options to collect cardiovascular data on toxicology studies (including jacket-free ECG/hemodynamic collection)

  • Rodent and nonrodent echocardiography to complement ECG and hemodynamic endpoints

  • Centralized ECG analysis to support consistency, quality, and interpretive confidence across studies and programs
     

Rapidly quantify mechanism, dose–response, and metabolic endpoints to guide transition into safety pharmacology and IND-enabling workflows.


Representative models/endpoints:

  • Diabetes: STZ (T1D), ob/ob mouse; Zucker rat (T2D)

  • Obesity: DIO models; Dyslipidemia/Hypercholesterolemia

  • Glucose dynamics: Oral/IV/IP glucose challenge

  • MASH & fibrosis: AMLN/GAN, CCl-induced fibrosis
     

Align nonclinical strategies with modality-specific risk profiles and regulatory expectations

Labcorp supports CVMD development across diverse modalities, including small molecules, biologics, custom antibodies, cell therapies, gene therapies, and vaccines—as well as incretin-based therapies such as GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP agonists.  

Submission‑ready data

Our global SEND team—active in CDISC SEND Consortium and FDA/PHUSE working groups—delivers compliant datasets and pathology workflows to streamline reviews.

Labcorp enables CVMD innovators to move smarter and faster

We combine cardiovascular safety expertise, integrated nonclinical capabilities, and high‑fidelity data to reduce risk and enable confident IND-bound decisions.

Integrated cardiovascular + metabolic safety expertise

Harmonized global processes across sites delivers consistent data analysis and interpretation

NAM microfluidic vascular/thrombosis models for earlier mechanistic insight

>350 CV assessments annually across our global sites

Frequently asked questions 

Labcorp delivers integrated, regulatory-ready support to move your CVMD program forward.