SenzaGen and XCellR8 expand their collaboration to offer GARD[®]skin Animal Product-Free
SenzaGen, a Swedish developer of animal-free in vitro tests for sensitization and the British contract testing laboratory, XCellR8, have deepened and expanded their collaboration by signing an exclusive global licensing agreement. The new agreement covers the performance, marketing and sales of SenzaGen's new, vegan skin sensitization test, GARD®skin Animal Product-Free.
XCellR8 is an established in vitro contract testing laboratory in Europe engaged in work to replace animal testing and related animal components with alternative methods, especially in the cosmetics industry. Today, XCellR8 works with several well-known cosmetics companies such as The Body Shop, Lush, and their suppliers. SenzaGen and XCellR8 have been in partnership since 2016 through a distribution agreement. Thanks to this new enhanced license agreement, XCellR8 will market and sell GARD®skin Animal Product-Free and perform tests at its laboratory in Daresbury, UK.
“We are happy to deepen our collaboration with Dr. Carol Treasure and her team at XCellR8. By focusing on the use of the latest technology and new research results, they are contributing to the movement towards a more ethical and sustainable testing industry. Our collaboration has resulted in further development of an existing test, adding an offering to our portfolio, which is in line with our strategy and mission to offer the best animal-free test methods,” says Axel Sjöblad, CEO of SenzaGen.
GARD®skin Animal Product-Free is a further development of SenzaGen's existing skin sensitization test, GARD®skin, and meets consumers' growing demand for an animal-free supply chain. By replacing animal serum, traditionally used as a nutrient solution in cell culture, with human serum, this new test is totally free of animal components. GARD®skin Animal Product-Free has the same high accuracy and performance as the other tests available in SenzaGen's portfolio.
“Together with our clients, we are passionate about the vision of creating a more ethical testing industry, without animal testing and animal components. Through this close collaboration with SenzaGen, XCellR8 has the exclusive opportunity to offer this accurate and innovative GARD test, free of animal components, for skin sensitization. In the long term, this means safer and better products for all of us,” says Carol Treasure, founder and CEO of XCellR8.
For more information, please contact:
Axel Sjöblad, CEO, SenzaGen AB
Email: axel.sjoblad@senzagen.com | Mobile: +46 705-35 93 51
Carol Treasure, Founder and CEO, XCellR8
Email: carol.treasure@x-cellr8.com | Mobile: +44 7899 845222
About XCellR8
XCellR8 provides animal-free safety and efficacy tests to the cosmetics, personal care and chemical industries. Regulatory tests include assessments for skin or eye irritation, skin sensitization and skin corrosion whilst non regulatory tests include cytotoxicity and acute toxicity amongst others. Clients include ingredient manufacturers such as Croda and Innospec, as well as high street retailers both in the UK and globally, including Lush and The Body Shop. Their work has been recognised at a regulatory level by the OECD and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), and supported by top funding bodies such as Innovate UK and the European Horizon 2020 programme.
About GARD
GARD consists of a group of tests for analyzing chemicals’ ability to start an allergic reaction in humans. The tests are performed on human cells in test tubes (in vitro) in combination with artificial intelligence and targets companies looking to optimize their in vitro testing strategy; increasing the accuracy of their test results while avoiding animal testing. Through its precision and reliability, GARD improves the quality of customers’ decision-making and contributes to increased product safety in people’s everyday lives while reducing the number of animal experiments. SenzaGen is the only company that can offer a non-animal, so called in vitro test, for chemical respiratory allergens. The product portfolio consists of tests for skin and respiratory allergy: GARD™skin, GARD™air, GARD™potency and GARD™skin Medical Device.
About SenzaGen AB (publ)
SenzaGen’s technology enables replacement of animal experiments with genetic testing in test tubes for determining the allergenicity of the chemicals we come into contact with in our daily lives, such as those 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. SenzaGen sells direct in Sweden and the US, and through partners in several other countries. Over the next few years the company will grow geographically, make alliances with additional distribution and license partners, and launch new unique tests. SenzaGen has its headquarters in Lund in Sweden and a subsidiary in the US. For more information, please visit www.senzagen.com.
SenzaGen AB is listed on Nasdaq First North in Stockholm (ticker: SENZA) and FNCA Sweden AB, +46(0)8-528 00 399 info@fnca.se, is the company’s Certified Adviser.
