Predictive toxicology is the future for reducing and perhaps wholly removing the need for animal-based testing. Of course, there is much more to it than that. Here we look at precisely what predictive toxicology is and how it is used.
What is predictive toxicology?
Predictive toxicology brings a multi-disciplined approach to evaluating chemical toxicity and biological system effects to characterise and assess their impact on us as humans.
Regulatory genotoxicity studies, genetic & skin toxicology screening are now considered a reliable, cost-effective and highly repeatable means to provide critical data for regulatory and screening purposes.
Leading contract research organisation Gentronix offers predictive toxicology products and services to help businesses requiring predictive toxicology screening. Their expertise can be invaluable when it comes to determining viability. They assist clients in interpreting unfavourable results and making informed decisions on how or if a product can move forward.
Read on to learn more about predictive toxicology and how it is shaping the future of global chemical sectors.
The benefits of predictive toxicology
Predictive toxicology screening typically does not require the use of animals to give insights that determine safety when chemical elements are combined. It is a means for many industries, such as food and agriculture, and many chemical, building and environmental product producers to ensure that the products they offer are safe and will not have carcinogenic liability.
In vitro and in vivo genotoxicity testing assays such as the Ames and micronucleus identify quickly potential mutagens, clastogens and aneugens and their modes of action. These tests offer a fast, reliable, easily reproducible, and cheaper way to test early in development.
Identifying dose-effect relationships and defining quantitative relationships between concentration, dose time and effect early in the process helps businesses plan and make adjustments earlier in the product life, thus enabling companies to save time and money.
Undesirable results can then be challenged by further testing to measure risk elements and allow businesses to make informed decisions on making the product viable and safe to proceed.
Reducing the use of animals in testing
Methods that progress the government’s drive to replace, refine and reduce the number of animals used in testing started over a decade ago. The advancement in toxicology screening is enabling this.
Scientists, drug manufacturers, cosmetic and agricultural product developers use chemical-based testing methods and assays wherever possible rather than requiring live animals or animal tissue to carry out tests to determine what might happen when their chemicals or products come into contact with humans. Predictions can be made using scientific data that provides results at an early stage to facilitate toxicological hazard identification so that they can be managed at the earliest opportunity.
Conclusion
Regulatory assay services are required for chemical safety and submission to enable products to be brought to market safe for humans to use and be around. Predictive toxicology screening is part of the proof that this is the case. Pathway-based toxicology predicts unknown chemical safety, and together with predictive software programs allow more accurate hazard characterisation. Use of in vitro screening allows far more chemicals to be evaluated that would be possible by animal testing alone and allows development of safer and more effective products.
The ability now of specialist testing labs to carry out these tests both cost-efficiently and more quickly than traditional methods allowed is the future that will further ensure that chemicals, cosmetics and drugs are delivered safely.