Tissue Dynamics and Galmed Pharmaceuticals unveil human-specific metabolic pathway underlying the effect of novel combination therapy for cardiac fibrosis
Updated: Jul 17
02 June 2026
Galmed Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, and Tissue Dynamics, a next-generation human-focused CRO, announce favourable results from a preclinical study assessing the effects of a combination treatment on cardiac fibrosis in a human in vitro model.
This result was made possible by leveraging Tissue Dynamics' human cardiac organoids to model fibrosis and high-throughput screen drug candidates, robotic DynamiX® platform with integrated sensors to acquire real-time data on organoids' metabolic activity, and MechaniX® machine-learning analysis of sensor data to predict drug safety and efficacy and uncover mechanistic insights into drug action. Using these tools enabled Tissue Dynamics to identify a novel human-specific metabolic mechanism that would not have been readily detectable using conventional animal models.
Cardiac fibrosis, driven by ischemic injury or age-related metabolic dysfunction, is a major contributor to heart failure. Drug development for this condition has traditionally relied on animal models. However, inter-species differences in heart anatomy, electrophysiology, gene expression, and metabolism represent a major barrier for successful translation of preclinical animal studies to a clinical setting, underscoring the need to shift to human-based methods .
In this particular case, the study in human cardiac fibrosis organoids allowed to demonstrate that a combination of Aramchol Meglumine and a selective PPARα agonist exerts its beneficial effects by modulating mitochondrial stress and lipogenesis. In the organoid model, the combinatory treatment reduced fibrotic burden by approximately fourfold while preserving cardiac muscle density and maintaining metabolic function.
Allen Baharaff, Co-Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Galmed, commented: "Our collaboration with Tissue Dynamics is helping shape the next generation of Galmed's research and development strategy and supports our broader vision of developing innovative therapies for cardiometabolic, fibrotic, and GI oncology diseases. By combining advanced AI technologies with highly predictive human organoid models, we are gaining unprecedented insights into human disease biology and cardiac physiology. We believe this collaboration has the potential to identify additional therapeutic opportunities and drug combinations for fibrotic diseases beyond the heart. We look forward to engaging with regulatory authorities to define the most efficient path toward clinical development of this program."
Dr. Avner Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer of Tissue Dynamics, commented: "Tissue Dynamics has developed a human cardiac organoid model designed to capture key aspects of human cardiac complexity, including multiple chambers, vascular structures, an epicardial layer, an endocardial lining, and pacemaker cells. This model recapitulates both the inflammatory and proliferative phases of cardiac fibrosis following myocardial infarction and has been extensively validated through genetic, functional, and pharmacological studies. Combined with our MechaniX® artificial intelligence platform, these models enable the generation of highly predictive efficacy and safety data while providing mechanistic insight into drug action through explainable AI and in silico experimentation."
Based on these findings, a new patent application has been filed, and preparations are underway to support future IND-enabling activities.
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