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There is an ongoing debate about animal experiments in both scientific and public circles, yet there is a scarcity of concrete data on how therapies developed in animal studies translate to humans. This study aims to assess the rate at which therapies transition from animal trials to human application across various biomedical fields. We also explored the timeframe for this transition and the consistency between animal and human study results. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, we executed an umbrella review, selecting systematic reviews that evaluated the translation of therapies from animals to humans. We included 122 articles, comprising 54 distinct human diseases and 367 therapeutic interventions. Neurological diseases were the focal point in 32% of reviews. The progression rates of therapies from animal studies were 50% to human trials, 40% to randomized clinical trials (RCTs), and 5% to (FDA) approval. The median transition times were 5, 7, and 10 years to reach human trials, RCTs, and (FDA) approval, respectively. Notably, our meta-analysis showed an 86% agreement rate between positive results in animal and clinical studies. Our review shows a surprisingly high consistency between animal and human study outcomes. Numerous therapies initiated in animal studies made their way to human trials. However, only a small portion gained (FDA) approval, indicating potential quality concerns in both animal and human trials.
Project Lead
CRS Collaborators
Eva Furrer, Servan Grüninger, Leonhard Held
External Collaborators
Malcolm Macleod, Wolfgang Emanuel Zürrer
Publications
