Accelerating CNS Drug Discovery Through Translational Preclinical Research
Generating CNS data that improves confidence in preclinical candidate selection
Franklin Biolabs is a preclinical neuroscience CRO providing translational CNS research services to biotechnology and pharmaceutical sponsors. Our scientific team supports drug discovery and development programs across neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, pain, psychiatric disorders, and rare neurological diseases through validated animal models, biomarker analysis, pharmacokinetics / pharmacodynamics (PK/PD), histology, and behavioral pharmacology studies.
End to End Support to Accelerate Transformative CNS Pipelines
Franklin Biolabs provides preclinical neuroscience research services that help biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies advance therapies for neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Our scientists design and execute customized studies that generate robust efficacy, mechanistic, and translational data to support critical development decisions.
From early proof-of-concept through candidate selection, Franklin partners with sponsors to deliver high-quality data across a range of CNS therapeutic areas and experimental platforms.
In Vivo Pharmacology
Evaluating Therapeutic Efficacy in Relevant CNS Models
Successful CNS drug development requires clear evidence that a therapeutic candidate produces meaningful biological, functional, and disease-modifying effects. Franklin Biolabs provides customized in vivo pharmacology studies designed to evaluate therapeutic efficacy, characterize dose-response relationships, and assess target engagement across a broad range of disease-relevant CNS models.
Our scientists collaborate closely with sponsors to design and execute studies that generate robust, reproducible, and decision-enabling data. By integrating disease-relevant models with translational endpoints, we help advance programs from early proof-of-concept through candidate selection and preclinical development.
Our capabilities include:
- Proof-of-concept and therapeutic efficacy studies
- Dose-ranging and dose-response characterization
- Disease progression and disease-modification assessment
- Customized study design and protocol development
- Rodent models of CNS disorders
- Transgenic and genetically engineered models for disease-specific mechanisms
- Nonhuman primate (NHP) studies
- Longitudinal study designs supporting preclinical decision-making
CNS Drug Delivery & Administration
Enabling Precise CNS Therapeutic Delivery
Successful CNS therapeutic development often depends on accurate and reproducible delivery to target tissues. Franklin Biolabs provides expertise in specialized CNS administration techniques across multiple species, supporting studies involving biologics, small molecules, gene therapies, and advanced delivery platforms.
Our capabilities include:
- Intraparenchymal administration
- Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration
- Intra-cisterna magna administration
- Intrathecal (lumbar) administration
- Systemic administration
- High-throughput ICV injections for rapid candidate screening in rodents
- Support for biologics, small molecules, viral vectors, and non-viral delivery systems
Behavioral & Functional Assessment
Measuring Outcomes That Matter
Behavioral and functional endpoints often provide some of the most meaningful indicators of therapeutic benefit in CNS research. Franklin Biolabs offers behavioral pharmacology and functional assessment services that evaluate cognitive, motor, sensory, and neuropsychiatric outcomes across a variety of neurological disease models.
By integrating behavioral outcomes with molecular biomarkers, PK/PD analyses, imaging, and histopathological findings, we help sponsors develop a comprehensive understanding of therapeutic activity, from target engagement and biological response to functional improvement. This integrated approach strengthens translational confidence and supports informed candidate selection and preclinical development decisions.
Our capabilities include:
- Learning and memory assessment
- Cognitive testing
- Motor function evaluation
- Anxiety- and depression-related behavioral assessments
- Pain and sensory endpoints
- Functional outcome measures
Bioanalysis, Biomarkers & PK/PD
Connecting Drug Exposure to Biological Activity
Generating translational data is critical for understanding how therapies engage their targets and produce meaningful pharmacological effects. Franklin Biolabs provides integrated biomarker and PK/PD support to help sponsors characterize mechanism of action, establish exposure-response relationships, and strengthen confidence in candidate selection.
Our approach combines pharmacokinetic evaluation, pharmacodynamic assessment, target engagement strategies, and biomarker analysis to establish clear relationships between drug exposure, biological response, and efficacy outcomes.
Our capabilities include:
Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics
- PK analysis
- PD assessment
- Exposure-response modeling
- Target engagement
Biomarker Analysis
- CNS biomarkers
- CSF biomarkers
- Neuroinflammation biomarkers
- Translational biomarker selection
Bioanalysis
- Plasma and tissue bioanalysis
- LC-MS/MS drug quantification in plasma, CSF, and brain tissue
Biodistribution
- Biodistribution studies
- Tissue distribution analysis
- Vector genome quantification (qPCR/ddPCR)
Immunogenicity
- Anti-drug antibody (ADA) testing
- Humoral immune response
- Cellular immune response
- Titer assays
- Shedding studies
Preclinical Imaging
Visualizing Therapeutic Distribution, Disease Progression & Response
Advanced imaging technologies complement biomarker and PK/PD analyses by providing non-invasive assessment of therapeutic distribution, target engagement, disease progression, procedural accuracy, and treatment response. Franklin Biolabs offers preclinical imaging capabilities that support translational CNS research by helping sponsors correlate imaging findings with molecular, pharmacological, and functional endpoints throughout preclinical development.
Imaging also enables longitudinal evaluation of disease progression and therapeutic response within the same subjects, strengthening translational confidence while supporting efficacy studies, biodistribution assessments, image-guided procedures, and surgical verification.
Our capabilities include:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI; 1.5T and 3T)
- Fluoroscopy
- Longitudinal imaging assessments
- Imaging biomarker evaluation
- Image-guided procedures
Toxicology & Safety Pharmacology
Assessing Safety and Functional Risk
Comprehensive safety evaluation is essential for advancing CNS therapeutics toward clinical development. Franklin Biolabs provides CNS-focused toxicology and safety pharmacology services designed to assess neurological function, behavioral effects, and potential treatment-related adverse findings.
Our capabilities include:
- CNS safety pharmacology studies
- General toxicology with CNS-focused endpoints
- Neurotoxicity assessments
Neuropathology & Tissue Analysis
Understanding Biological Impact
Histological and tissue-based analyses provide critical insight into disease pathology and therapeutic response. Franklin Biolabs offers comprehensive neuropathology and tissue analysis services that help characterize treatment effects at the cellular and molecular level.
Our scientists employ quantitative and qualitative approaches to evaluate neurodegeneration, inflammation, tissue morphology, and biomarker expression, providing the biological context needed to support preclinical development decisions.
Our capabilities include:
- Histopathology
- Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
- Tissue biomarker analysis
- Neurodegeneration assessment
- Quantitative pathology
- Cellular and molecular characterization
- CNS tissue analysis
In Vivo Pharmacology
Evaluating Therapeutic Efficacy in Relevant CNS Models
Successful CNS drug development requires clear evidence that a therapeutic candidate produces meaningful biological, functional, and disease-modifying effects. Franklin Biolabs provides customized in vivo pharmacology studies designed to evaluate therapeutic efficacy, characterize dose-response relationships, and assess target engagement across a broad range of disease-relevant CNS models.
Our scientists collaborate closely with sponsors to design and execute studies that generate robust, reproducible, and decision-enabling data. By integrating disease-relevant models with translational endpoints, we help advance programs from early proof-of-concept through candidate selection and preclinical development.
Our capabilities include:
- Proof-of-concept and therapeutic efficacy studies
- Dose-ranging and dose-response characterization
- Disease progression and disease-modification assessment
- Customized study design and protocol development
- Rodent models of CNS disorders
- Transgenic and genetically engineered models for disease-specific mechanisms
- Nonhuman primate (NHP) studies
- Longitudinal study designs supporting preclinical decision-making
CNS Drug Delivery & Administration
Enabling Precise CNS Therapeutic Delivery
Successful CNS therapeutic development often depends on accurate and reproducible delivery to target tissues. Franklin Biolabs provides expertise in specialized CNS administration techniques across multiple species, supporting studies involving biologics, small molecules, gene therapies, and advanced delivery platforms.
Our capabilities include:
- Intraparenchymal administration
- Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration
- Intra-cisterna magna administration
- Intrathecal (lumbar) administration
- Systemic administration
- High-throughput ICV injections for rapid candidate screening in rodents
- Support for biologics, small molecules, viral vectors, and non-viral delivery systems
Behavioral & Functional Assessment
Measuring Outcomes That Matter
Behavioral and functional endpoints often provide some of the most meaningful indicators of therapeutic benefit in CNS research. Franklin Biolabs offers behavioral pharmacology and functional assessment services that evaluate cognitive, motor, sensory, and neuropsychiatric outcomes across a variety of neurological disease models.
By integrating behavioral outcomes with molecular biomarkers, PK/PD analyses, imaging, and histopathological findings, we help sponsors develop a comprehensive understanding of therapeutic activity, from target engagement and biological response to functional improvement. This integrated approach strengthens translational confidence and supports informed candidate selection and preclinical development decisions.
Our capabilities include:
- Learning and memory assessment
- Cognitive testing
- Motor function evaluation
- Anxiety- and depression-related behavioral assessments
- Pain and sensory endpoints
- Functional outcome measures
Bioanalysis, Biomarkers & PK/PD
Connecting Drug Exposure to Biological Activity
Generating translational data is critical for understanding how therapies engage their targets and produce meaningful pharmacological effects. Franklin Biolabs provides integrated biomarker and PK/PD support to help sponsors characterize mechanism of action, establish exposure-response relationships, and strengthen confidence in candidate selection.
Our approach combines pharmacokinetic evaluation, pharmacodynamic assessment, target engagement strategies, and biomarker analysis to establish clear relationships between drug exposure, biological response, and efficacy outcomes.
Our capabilities include:
Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics
- PK analysis
- PD assessment
- Exposure-response modeling
- Target engagement
Biomarker Analysis
- CNS biomarkers
- CSF biomarkers
- Neuroinflammation biomarkers
- Translational biomarker selection
Bioanalysis
- Plasma and tissue bioanalysis
- LC-MS/MS drug quantification in plasma, CSF, and brain tissue
Biodistribution
- Biodistribution studies
- Tissue distribution analysis
- Vector genome quantification (qPCR/ddPCR)
Immunogenicity
- Anti-drug antibody (ADA) testing
- Humoral immune response
- Cellular immune response
- Titer assays
- Shedding studies
Preclinical Imaging
Visualizing Therapeutic Distribution, Disease Progression & Response
Advanced imaging technologies complement biomarker and PK/PD analyses by providing non-invasive assessment of therapeutic distribution, target engagement, disease progression, procedural accuracy, and treatment response. Franklin Biolabs offers preclinical imaging capabilities that support translational CNS research by helping sponsors correlate imaging findings with molecular, pharmacological, and functional endpoints throughout preclinical development.
Imaging also enables longitudinal evaluation of disease progression and therapeutic response within the same subjects, strengthening translational confidence while supporting efficacy studies, biodistribution assessments, image-guided procedures, and surgical verification.
Our capabilities include:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI; 1.5T and 3T)
- Fluoroscopy
- Longitudinal imaging assessments
- Imaging biomarker evaluation
- Image-guided procedures
Toxicology & Safety Pharmacology
Assessing Safety and Functional Risk
Comprehensive safety evaluation is essential for advancing CNS therapeutics toward clinical development. Franklin Biolabs provides CNS-focused toxicology and safety pharmacology services designed to assess neurological function, behavioral effects, and potential treatment-related adverse findings.
Our capabilities include:
- CNS safety pharmacology studies
- General toxicology with CNS-focused endpoints
- Neurotoxicity assessments
Neuropathology & Tissue Analysis
Understanding Biological Impact
Histological and tissue-based analyses provide critical insight into disease pathology and therapeutic response. Franklin Biolabs offers comprehensive neuropathology and tissue analysis services that help characterize treatment effects at the cellular and molecular level.
Our scientists employ quantitative and qualitative approaches to evaluate neurodegeneration, inflammation, tissue morphology, and biomarker expression, providing the biological context needed to support preclinical development decisions.
Our capabilities include:
- Histopathology
- Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
- Tissue biomarker analysis
- Neurodegeneration assessment
- Quantitative pathology
- Cellular and molecular characterization
- CNS tissue analysis
Franklin Biolabs supports drug discovery and development programs across a broad spectrum of CNS indications, including:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- ALS
- Huntington’s disease
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Multiple sclerosis
- CNS autoimmune disorders
- Glial-mediated pathologies
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Schizophrenia
- Cognitive dysfunction
- Neuropathic pain
- Inflammatory pain
- Chronic pain
- Orphan CNS disorders
- Gene therapy applications
- Novel neurological targets
Why Franklin Biolabs?
Scientific Partnership
- Work directly with experienced scientists who understand CNS drug development challenges.
Customized Study Design
- Studies are built around the biology of your program rather than forcing your asset into a standardized workflow.
Translational Focus
- Our objective is not simply generating data. We focus on producing results that improve decision-making and reduce development risk.
Responsive Execution
- Biotech companies need flexibility, speed, and scientific collaboration. Franklin provides a CRO experience designed around those needs.
