Hesperos, Bayer Consumer Health Team Up To Study Central Nervous System Stress

Contract research organization Hesperos announced the publication of a peer-reviewed study developed with Bayer Consumer Health and published in Biomedicine and Pharmacology. The study introduces a human-relevant microphysiological system that models central nervous system stress responses and evaluates potential therapeutic compounds. Hesperos aims to accelerate drug development by generating safety and efficacy data for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food-related therapeutics.

In the research, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) cortical neurons were tested on microelectrode arrays (MEAs) to replicate the time- and concentration-dependent effects of cortisol on network activity. MEAs, according to the National Institutes of Health, are cell-culture surfaces with integrated electrodes used to study electrically excitable cells and tissues. By measuring long-term potentiation (LTP)—a key marker of learning and memory—the model reproduced cortisol’s effects on neural networks. The study found that chronic cortisol exposure disrupts neuronal activity and impairs LTP, mimicking stress-related cognitive decline in humans. Echinacea extract and its active compound, dodeca-2E,4E,8Z,10Z-tetraenoic acid N-isobutyl amide, significantly alleviated these stress-induced deficits.

The authors emphasized the potential of such microphysiological systems to replace animal testing in preclinical research on stress and neurodegenerative diseases. “This advance demonstrates the ability of human-on-a-chip systems to replicate complex neurological processes like stress-related cognitive decline without animal studies,” said James Hickman, Hesperos’ chief scientist and senior study author. He added that the model provides a valuable tool for understanding stress effects on the brain and screening new therapeutics in a biologically relevant context.

Ramy Ammar, director of science innovation at Bayer Consumer Health, noted that stress affects nearly everyone in today’s world. “By modeling and understanding stress at the cellular level through these innovative approaches, we can accelerate the development of effective, trusted solutions for mental health and cognitive well-being,” he said.

The collaboration reflects a broader trend of integrating advanced technologies into healthcare. Bayer recently added Coreline Soft’s AI-powered lung cancer screening software to its Calantic platform, partnered with ConcertAI to use its AI tools for precision oncology, and collaborated with Rad AI to bring radiology automation tools to Calantic users. Hesperos also partnered with the University of Central Florida to create a multi-organ human-on-a-chip model replicating opioid overdose and recovery. Together, these efforts underscore Bayer’s and Hesperos’ shared goal of advancing digital and biological systems to enhance drug discovery, safety testing, and personalized medicine.