In the EU, conducting animal experiments for determining the efficacy and evaluating the safety of cosmetics and their ingredients has been prohibited since March 11th, 2013. In Japan, USA, and other countries, movements for the abolition of animal experiments have been strong, and the development of alternatives to animal experiments has been actively performed, particularly in the cosmetics industry. Since its establishment, NDR has been actively engaged in introducing alternatives to animal experiments.

NDR has collaborated with SkinEthic, a French manufacturer of reconstructed human tissue culture models, and has actively adopted the use of their models for efficacy evaluations.

The reconstructed human tissue culture models can be used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of formulations and poorly soluble materials, which are difficult to evaluate using conventional single-layer cell culture systems. Further, the reconstructed human epidermal models EPISKIN and SkinEthic RHE have been used for organization for economic co-operation and development OECD TG431 (a skin corrosion test alternative to animal experiments) and OECD TG439 (a skin irritation test alternative to animal experiments). SkinEthic HCE, which is a reconstructed human corneal epithelium model, is currently being evaluated by the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Method (ECVAM), as an alternative to animal experiments for use in eye irritation tests. NDR also performs tests using these models. In addition to tests using reconstructed human tissue culture models, we perform evaluations such as the human cell line activation test (h-CLAT) (a skin sensitization alternative to animal experiments, which is currently being validated by the ECVAM) and the OECD TG432 (a skin phototoxicity test alternative to animal experiments).

more about 3D tissue models