About us

Pre-clinical trials on animals are crucial for the development of new drugs, prophylactics, therapeutics, and medical devices. These trials are typically conducted before human clinical trials and are vital for assessing safety, determining efficacy, understanding pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and exploring the mechanism of action of drugs, vaccines, and medical implants. Regulatory authorities, such as the Indian Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), etc., require pre-clinical data on animal models before approving the initiation of human clinical trials. Regulators also require that the pre-clinical trials are conducted under stringent ethical guidelines to minimize animal suffering and promote animal welfare. The use of animals must comply with the national guidelines prescribed by the Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA), and the test protocols must conform to the Department of Health Research (DHR), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), World Health Organization (WHO), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), etc., as per the need.

As a constituent body of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - the apex body for medical research in India - NARFBR caters to the need for animal resources and well-equipped and well-managed facilities for pre-clinical research in the country. It provides SPF-quality animal resources (mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, goats, pigs, horses, and monkeys) maintained in a controlled environment and under high-quality animal care by trained staff for obtaining reliable and reproducible results in pre-clinical trials. Animals are maintained under standardized experimental conditions, including regulated temperature, lighting, and humidity, to minimize environmental variables that could potentially influence experimental outcomes. Strict ABSL-2 and ABSL-3 biosecurity measures are in place to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases among animals and working personnel. Procedures such as genetic testing, quarantine protocols, routine health monitoring, and vaccination programs are in-built part of our monitoring system to maintain the health of research subjects and obtaining accurate data.

The ICMR-NARFBR is also equipped with specialized equipment and infrastructure that are tailored for high-quality pre-clinical trials in animals. This includes surgical suites, imaging facilities, anesthesia equipment, and other research tools necessary for conducting pre-clinical trials in mice, rats, rabbits, goats, dogs, pigs, horses, and monkeys. Fully functional analytical labs for hematology, biochemistry, histopathology, microbiology, parasitology, virology, vaccine testing, and genetic testing are in place and are compliant with the norms of the regulators. Additionally, the facilities have experienced scientists and support staff who are well-trained in handling and working with animals, ensuring the safety and well-being of the animals and the high quality of the research data.

The research facilities at NARFBR are also aligned to be truly complementary to other ICMR institutions and collaborating partners. It conducts pre-clinical trials of emerging leads and indigenously developed technologies for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and control of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. It also caters to capacity building and strengthening of trained human resources and provides infrastructure for pre-clinical trials in the country for translation from research to action for the benefit of society. The ICMR-NARFBR is a key 'Knowledge Partner' of the 'MedTech Mitra' platform of the country for carrying out a comprehensive pre-clinical evaluation of innovative technologies and ensuring their safety and efficacy. Through the 'MedTech Mitra' platform, ICMR-NARFBR would contribute to strategic handholding support to innovators for the pre-clinical evaluation of new products.

Dr. Mukesh Kumar Gupta, MVSc, PhD
Director, ICMR-NARFBR