Industry News
Participation at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cellular and Computational Toxicology is Complimentary This Year!
August 2, 2021China to Exempt Animal Testing for Imported General Cosmetics on May 1
March 4, 2021IIVS is pleased to see China providing a pathway for the importation of certain cosmetics without #animaltesting. The pathway does contain certain requirements that the international community must strive to meet - but it is certainly a major step forward. IIVS will continue its outreach with China's National Institute for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), as well as with provincial FDA's, to continue to implement #nonanimal methods into their regulatory guidelines. Thank you to all our great contributors who fund this important work!
Validation of the 3D RSMN Assay
February 10, 2021IIVS is excited to have taken part in the validation of the Reconstructed Skin Micronucleus Assay as a big step towards the establishment of an OECD test guideline. Read the Full Article Here
IIVS, RIFM and Shiseido Partner to Transfer Non-animal Photosafety Tests
July 14, 2020The Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) has entered into an agreement with Shiseido and the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) to support the technology transfer of non-animal tests for photosafety testing. The program aims to build upon IIVS’ current photosafety tiered testing program, which addresses photoirritation, through the development of additional testing strategies to identify photoallergens. Both photoirritation and photoallergenicity are important in the safety assessment of fragrances. (more…)
Webinar : Use of Non-animal Skin Sensitization Methods
June 3, 2020A recorded webinar on the "Use of Non-animal Skin Sensitization Methods" by IIVS’s Hans Raabe and US EPA's Gino Scarano and James Cox is now available for viewing at https://www.piscltd.org.uk/nam-webinars/. The webinar reviews the status of Non-Animal methods acceptance of skin sensitization testing within the EPA framework as well as an overview of several assays that can be used to evaluate this endpoint. Slides of the presentation are also available for download as well.
FDA Releases New Guidance Recommending Alternatives to LLNA
April 22, 2020FDA releases new guidance recommending the performance of alternative test methodologies in lieu of the murine-based Local Lymph Node Assay (LLNA) to assess skin sensitization potential for topically-applied drug products. This information can be found at https://www.fda.gov/media/135312/download, pages 7-8.
IIVS offers multiple assays and provides guidance to companies and organizations interested in using non-animal approaches to evaluate this endpoint. Learn more about our skin sensitization testing capabilities at https://iivs.org/testing-services/assays/sensitization/ or contact us at clientservices@iivs.org.
Phototox and BCOP Russian Translations
February 25, 2020IIVS, in collaboration with EPAA, is pleased to announce that our training videos for eye irritation and phototoxicity are now available with Russian subtitles. To view subtitled versions in different languages including Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish, please visit our YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/aVLiA3IkAgs https://youtu.be/DISE5yNYZck
2020 SOT Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award Announced
January 23, 2020IIVS offers our congratulations to Kristie Sullivan, Vice President for Research Policy with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, who has been awarded the 2020 SOT Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award by the Society of Toxicology for "her influence in advancing science and policy to reduce or replace the use of animals in testing without compromising public health". Kristie is a frequent collaborator with IIVS in our joint mission to replace animal testing with new approach methodologies and we are pleased to see her efforts recognized.
PETA Science Group Donates $50,000 in Equipment to IIVS
October 11, 2019Gaithersburg, Md. — Animals don't have to suffer for your cosmetics, cleaners, pesticides, or drugs. The PETA International Science Consortium Ltd. is donating $50,000 in equipment to the Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS), a nonprofit laboratory in Gaithersburg that conducts and develops animal-free test methods. IIVS will use the VITROCELL® Cloud inhalation exposure system — instead of animals — to assess the effects of substances on the human respiratory tract. Manufactured by German-based VITROCELL Systems, the Cloud system mimics realistic human exposure to chemicals that may be inhaled. It yields more human-relevant results than the current method of forcing rats in narrow tubes to inhale toxic substances for hours before finally being killed. "The PETA International Science Consortium is committed to helping researchers conduct animal-free inhalation testing, and one of the best ways to do this is by donating essential equipment," says Dr. Amy Clippinger, president of the Science Consortium. "The Cloud system is an important addition to IIVS' respiratory toxicology laboratory, and we're confident that this donation will lead to better protection of human health and spare animal lives." "We are very appreciative of the Science Consortium's continued support of our mission," says Erin Hill, president of IIVS. "This donation allows us to expand from an initial focus on tobacco to address the respiratory toxicology needs of the personal care industry." Today's announcement follows the Science Consortium's 2017 award of $400,000 of VITROCELL® equipment to four laboratories in the U.S., the U.K., and Belgium. Along with awarding testing equipment to replace the use of animals in inhalation testing, the Science Consortium funds the development of animal-free methods, hosts webinars and workshops, and much more.
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The PETA International Science Consortium Ltd. works to accelerate the development, validation, and global implementation of animal-free testing. It was established in 2012 to coordinate the scientific and regulatory expertise of its members — PETA U.S., PETA U.K., PETA Germany, PETA India, PETA Netherlands, PETA France, PETA Asia, and PETA Australia. The Science Consortium and its members have donated millions of dollars toward helping to reduce and replace animal use. The Institute for In Vitro Sciences, Inc., is a nonprofit research and testing laboratory dedicated to the advancement of in vitro (non-animal) methods worldwide. Founded in 1997, the Institute is unique in its position as a high-quality testing laboratory while also offering technical and educational resources to advance the field. For more information, please visit PISCLtd.org.uk or IIVS.org.US EPA Commits to Dramatically Reduce Animal Testing
September 13, 2019The US EPA has committed to dramatically reducing animal testing with a commitment for total elimination by the year 2035. IIVS is proud to have played a part in the move to reduce animal testing, starting with the successful development, and acceptance, of the non-animal eye-irritation defined approach, which was developed by an industry and regulatory consortium led by IIVS' CEO Rodger D. Curren, Ph.D. IIVS looks forward to continuing its collaboration with stakeholders to help the agency achieve its goals. Read the EPA Press Release.