Moving Beyond Animal Models With iPSC-Based Models: Shifts And New Challenges

Animal models fail to predict human outcomes more often than they succeed, and the field has known this for years. iPSC-based systems offer a more direct path: human cell types, derived reproducibly in vitro, that reflect disease biology in ways rodent models simply cannot. This article examines where that transition stands today, including the reproducibility and scalability hurdles that remain even as the science matures.

The case for iPSCs is not just ethical; it is practical. Reducing late-stage clinical attrition requires better upstream models, and iPSC-derived disease models are increasingly capable of delivering that.