ALPHA-dri®

ALPHA-dri® was developed in 1982 in response to a request from a major pharmaceutical company for a clean, absorbent, virtually dust free, contaminant free bedding material for nude mice. ALPHA-dri® has always been regarded as the preferred bedding for sensitive rodent research which include, but not limited to oncology, immunology, endocrinology, neurology, cardiovascular, inhalation, GLP, oncology, gastroenterology, etc.

Many of the therapies and treatments for current diseases were developed using rodents that were housed on ALPHA-dri®. 

IBD & Chron’s Disease

Major pharmaceutical companies have used mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Crohn’s disease (CD) in research programs to develop treatments for these diseases. IBDs affect 1.6 million people and is most common between the ages of 15 and 30. IBD mouse models used for this research were housed on ALPHA-dri®. 

A monoclonal antibody first marketed to treat Crohn’s disease and now labeled for rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and 15 other associated conditions was tested using rodents housed on ALPHA-dri® in the early 2000s. RA is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting over 1.3 million Americans and as much as 1% of the worldwide population.

It took over 20 years of research and cutting-edge science to bring an immune-oncology treatment that offers each patient a better, healthier life and to help make a cure a possibility for small cell lung cancer which is the second most common type of lung cancer. Rodents used for this important research were housed on ALPHA-dri® which is virtually free of confounding contaminants.

Lung Cancer

Genetics Institute, which is now part of Pfizer, was a leading biopharmaceutical firm engaged in the discovery, development, and commercialization of human pharmaceuticals through recombinant DNA and other technologies. These cutting-edge technologies continue to assist researchers in the development of new therapies and treatments. GI also developed treatments that were used by 98% of all hemophilia patients. Cytokines, Interleukin 3 and 6, were also discovered and developed there. These immune response stimulants have been used in a variety of treatments from chemotherapy patients, bone marrow transplant recipients to COVID-19 patients. These and many other life-changing drugs and treatments were conducted using rodents housed on ALPHA-dri®.

Endangered Black-Footed Ferret

Biologists at the captive breeding facilities for the Black-footed ferret specify ALPHA-dri® from Shepherd Specialty Papers. Why, because the recovery of the Black-footed ferret, one of the most endangered animals in North America, depends upon the success of this program. There are currently about 350 black-footed ferrets left in the wild and 280 in captive breeding facilities, well below the 3,000 needed to recover the species.