SenzaGen introduces GARDpotency - a unique method for measuring the allergenicity of chemical substances
SenzaGen AB announces today the start of pilot sales of GARDpotency, the first animal-free method of analysis that can provide invaluable information on the allergenic potency of a chemical substance. GARDpotency is a unique complement to the previously launched test method GARDskin.
For a long time there has been huge demand from government and industry to be able to quantify the strength of chemicals' allergenicity. SenzaGen's new in vitro test method GARDpotency makes this possible for the first time. Quantitative information is a requirement of REACH, the EU chemicals regulation, and is of great help to companies that develop new cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food products. Until now all testing for potency classification has been carried out on animals.
As a first step in the launch of GARDpotency, SenzaGen will present the test method for potential customers in connection with the Society of Toxicology's annual conference 12-16 March 2017 in Baltimore, USA. The technology behind GARDpotency has been developed by a research group at Lund University. At the conference, which brings together around 6,500 toxicologists from more than 60 countries, the research team will present two scientific papers describing GARDpotency as well as new application areas for GARDskin. Summaries of the research results will soon be made available and will also be available on the SenzaGen website after the scientific publications are published.
"We see great market potential for GARDpotency. It is already possible to determine if a chemical can cause allergies, but there is a significant additional need among both manufacturers and regulatory bodies to be able to quantify how strong the allergenic effect is. Until now no animal-free testing has been available and we are extremely proud to be the first to offer this to the chemicals industry," says SenzaGen's CEO, Anki Malmborg Hager.
GARDskin is scientifically validated and has been approved for validation in accordance with OECD requirements on allergy tests. The test provides greater than 90 percent accuracy in the classification of allergenic substances.
For more information
Anki Malmborg Hager, CEO, SenzaGen AB
E-mail: amh@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 90% reliability. This compares with the current predominant test method, experiments on mice, which has a reliability rating of 72%. 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.
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