Cosmetic giants team up on alternative skin test

The US Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) is teaming up with chemicals giant BASF and cosmetics company Givaudan to validate an improved skin sensitisation reactivity method to address the needs of toxicologists and regulators.

Scientists at the two companies have developed the kinetic direct peptide reactivity assay (Kinetic DPRA), a non-animal test to predict allergic reactions in the skin known as sensitisation. Three other non-animal sensitiser tests have been internationally accepted. However, the Kinetic DPRA has the potential to go beyond a yes/no answer and predict the potency of a sensitiser, which is required by some regulatory agencies. Until now, the only way to predict potency classifications was through animal testing.

The validation project, designed by BASF and Givaudan, will be conducted over the course of 2018 and, pending a successful outcome, will be submitted to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2019.

Other participating laboratories include Procter & Gamble (the developer of the original DPRA), Charles River and the Czech National Institute of Public Health.