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Development of in vitro assays for point-of-contact inhalation toxicity should consider two factors: 1) the physiological relevance of the cell culture model, and 2) the route of exposure. Organotypic culture models may better replicate in vivo adverse outcomes and allow for repeat exposures, whereas simpler cell-line-based models may be more applicable to high-throughput acute testing. Exposure of submerged cultures to compounds in solution is a commonplace approach, compatible with many in vitro assays and amenable to scaling for high-throughput testing. However, exposure of cultures at the air-liquid interface may better simulate in vivo inhalation exposure to vapors…Read more »

Durham, N.C., USA March 23rd, 2020 — ScitoVation, a solution leader recognized as industry experts in cell-based assays and computational methods announced today the launch of a partnership with BioPredic International, a contract services, research and life sciences tools provider based in France. The partnership centers around the Biopredic-owned HepaRG® immortal liver cell line. ScitoVation will serve as a center of service excellence in the Americas for HepaRG® as BioPredic’s preferred CRO partner in the Americas providing contract services, product development and technical support to the market. Together the two companies will launch …Read more »

In vitro methods capable of describing systemic effects of chemicals require use of multiple tissue types connected with a common perfusate. This arrangement allows integration of absorption, metabolism and toxicity data over extended times in vitro and provides a novel, animal-free tool for chemical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical testing. In order to test this, a study on the uptake and distribution of acetaminophen (APAP) in a human dynamic multi-organ plate (HuDMOP™) with three tissue surrogates arranged in series: first…Read more »

Chemical risk assessment is moving away from animal testing replacing it with computational and in vitro approaches in risk assessment. Dosimetry, by determining the amounts and key rates for distribution of a chemical in the body, is essential for the use of new approach methodologies in risk-based decision making. Use of models such as high-throughput in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (HT-IVIVE) has…Read more »

Over the past three years we have been developing the population life-course exposure to health effects model (PLETHEM) – the open source R package that is designed to provide tools that can be used to bridge the source-to-outcome continuum. Pharmacokinetic modeling is becoming increasingly important in chemical safety decision making, with applications in prioritizing risk assessment by establishing margins of exposure for chemicals and extrapolating hazard across different ages, population cohorts, or occupational classes. As a part of our effort to provide the community with…Read more »

Safety assessment strategies that rely on testing species-relevant cells in vitro are advancing, yet there are currently no in vitro alternatives for hepatotoxicity testing accepted by regulators. An organotypic rat model, capable of predicting rat in vivo responses to hepatotoxicants, will provide an affordable and ethical alternative to in vivo rat models currently utilized. An ideal in vitro liver model for hepatotoxicity testing would include hepatocytes and the non-parenchymal cells (NPCs) (i.e., hepatic stellate cells, Kupffer cells, and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells), and would support…Read more »

Gene expression profiling is emerging as a viable way to evaluate mode of action and points of departure and has the potential to drastically reduce testing costs and product development time. The first steps of using transcriptional responses as a basis of safety assessment are being taken. However, several important considerations remain unresolved, including how to translate expression changes into adverse outcome pathways or other definitions of mode of action…Read more »