Coming soon - Skimune®3D
Alcyomics® will soon launch a new 3D skin model – Skimune®3D, at the Eurotox 2017 meeting in Bratislava. The novel model marks a new era for Alcyomics® assays allowing upscaling e.g. multiple compound testing in single donor skin, and a wider offering of their services
e.g. standard toxicology testing using OECD guidelines.
Skimune®3D has the potential to enhance the development of safer medicines, chemicals and cosmetics, and in the short term reduce the need for animal testing with the longer term aim of replacing it altogether in some sectors and applications. The model reflects a more accurate response of the human immune system to compounds under investigation. This is because the Skimune®3D model is made using primary human skin cells and autologous immune cells overcoming the barrier of species differences. This factor makes the Skimune®3D skin model more appealing to end users and encourages the advancement towards the use of non-animal based models.
The Skimune®3D model uses the Alvetex® platform/ substrate, produced by REPROCELL, as an alternative to the animal based scaffold. The collaboration between these two companies has facilitated the use of the Alvetex® 24 well plate for high throughput assays.
The Skimune®3D model is currently under evaluation and as the service becomes available, the uptake of this test model will continue to reduce or replace the number of animals that are being used for safety testing by the target disciplines. In 2016 it was reported 532,000 procedures were performed in animals for regulatory purposes in the UK alone (Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, 2016). 36% of these (189,000) were for toxicity purposes or for other forms of safety testing. Therefore on a local level our research would reduce these numbers significantly.
For the cosmetic industry our tests would be a direct replacement of the use of these animals by utilising healthy volunteer derived cells and human skin tissue. For the Pharmaceutical industry it will aid the reduction of animals used for preclinical studies.
Advantages of Skimune®3D
*Speedier timeline to hazard identification
*Reduces the use of animals within the industry AND solves the problem with 7th Amendment to the Cosmetics Directive (EU Directive 76/768/EEC2), March 2009/2013, banning animal testing on cosmeceuticals.
*Reduces development costs
*Increases product safety profile
To find out how Skimune®3D can help your business please contact one of the team.
