Scientific study shows that GARDskin™ is the most accurate test for skin sensitization of chemical substances
Lund, 31 July 2018 – SenzaGen (Nasdaq First North: SENZA) announces today that a new scientific study shows that GARDskin™ can provide producers and contract laboratories with a single test for evaluating substances, with an increased accuracy as compared with the recommended combination of current market leading methods. The reason for this recommendation by regulatory authorities is the relatively low accuracy of the currently available individual methods. The positive results from the published study shows that GARDskin™ could be established as the first animal-free standalone test and thereby become a new global standard for toxicological evaluation of chemical substances.
There are more and more countries banning animal testing of ingredients and final products within the cosmetics industry. Also other industries are facing a growing demand for accurate animal-free test methods. The primary forces driving this development are stricter regulatory demands and an urge to reduce the use of animals in experimental testing.
A new scientific study confirms that SenzaGen´s test method GARDskin™ is more accurate than the other animal free methods (DPRA, KeratinoSens (ARE-Nrf2 luciferase) and h-CLAT) on the market today, for skin sensitization testing. Due to the relatively low accuracy of these methods, regulatory authorities recommend a combination of them, in order to better predict the skin sensitization activity of a substance. However, not even a combination of these tests show the same high level of accuracy as displayed by GARDskin™.
”This recently published scientific study shows that GARDskin™ can give producers and contract laboratories a possibility to use one single test to evaluate their substances with even better accuracy than a combination of several test methods. GARDskin™ has the potential to make testing of chemicals more efficient with respect to time, resources and quality”, says SenzaGen CEO Anki Malmborg Hager.
The scientific study was carried out by Dr David W Roberts at the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University in the UK. The results are published in the scientific journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology and can be accessed via this link : “Is a combination of assays really needed for non-animal prediction of skin sensitization potential? Performance of the GARD™ (Genomic Allergen Rapid Detection) assay in comparison with OECD guideline assays alone and in combination”
For more information:
Anki Malmborg Hager, CEO, SenzaGen AB
Email: anki.malmborg.hager@senzagen.com
Phone: +46 768 284822
About GARD™
GARD™ is a group of tests for assessing chemical skin sensitizers. The tests make use of genetic biomarkers for more than 200 genes which cover the entire immune reaction and are relevant to predicting the risk of hypersensitivity. The tests have over 90 percent reliability. This compares with the current predominant test method, experiments on mice, which has an accuracy of 70-75 percent. SenzaGen’s tests are also capable of measuring the potency of a substance’s allergenic properties. Consequently, GARD tests provide a much more comprehensive basis for determining whether a substance should be classified as an allergen than current testing methods.
About SenzaGen
SenzaGen makes it possible to replace animal experiments with in vitro genetic testing to determine the allergenicity of the chemicals we come into contact with in our daily lives, such as for example in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food products and dyes. The company’s patented tests are the most reliable on the market and provide more information than traditional evaluation methods. We ourselves sell the tests in Sweden and the USA, and we sell through partners in several other countries. Over the next few years the company will expand geographically, make alliances with more distribution partners and launch further unique tests. SenzaGen has its headquarters in Lund in Sweden and a subsidiary in San Francisco, USA. For more information visit www.senzagen.com.
The information was submitted for publication, through the contact person set out above on the 31 July 2018 at 08.50.
SenzaGen AB is listed on Nasdaq First North in Stockholm and FNCA is the company’s Certified Adviser. For more information, please visit www.senzagen.com.
