L'Oreal contributes to animal testing alternative
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
French beauty firm and assay developer Hurel Corporation are in the research and development stage of an in vitro test for potential skin allergic reactions called the "Allergy Test on a Chip." The device is designed as a substitute for the animal test known as the local lymph node assay, currently accepted by regulatory agencies as a standard means of evaluating potential responses. The test comprises reconstructed human skin, a cell culture capable of stimulating a human immune system response and a means of signaling an immune system response from the skin, the firms say. The collaboration has already hit its first milestone: demonstrating the microfluidic signaling component of the device. If globally adopted, Allergy Test on a Chip "may dramatically reduce the use of animal tests in safety evaluation," the companies say, adding it also has commercial potential