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Transparent nematode worms are an ideal test bed for new drugs, according to
Devgen, a drugs company based in Belgium. The soil-dwelling nematode worm
Caenorhabditis elegans will happily grow in the lab, feeding on
Escherichia coli bacteria, and the worm’s simple anatomy displays most
tissue types, including muscle, intestine and epidermis. The company suggests
testing drugs by spreading them on the bacteria that the worms eat (GB 2350896).
Researchers then monitor the growth of the worms. Any ill effects can be spotted
under the microscope and are a warning sign that the drug may cause unwanted
complications.