SenzaGen launches the first in vitro airway allergy test – GARDair – at ESTIV2018
Lund, September 18, 2018 - SenzaGen (Nasdaq First North: SENZA) announced today that the company will launch GARDair, the first in vitro test for airway allergies at ESTIV2018, the 20th International Congress on In Vitro Toxicology. Removing the need for animal testing and opening a completely new market, GARDair is based on the company’s proprietary GARD® technology platform. Using genetic biomarkers, GARDair tests whether substances and chemicals that are inhaled or come into contact with the lungs are allergenic or not, with high accuracy.
Respiratory allergies or respiratory sensitization, which manifests itself primarily in the form of asthma, is a growing problem. About 8-10% of the Swedish population suffer from asthma and more than 300 million people worldwide are diagnosed with asthma - a figure that is expected to increase in the next few years. There are currently no methods available for testing if chemicals can contribute to or cause allergic reactions in the respiratory tract. GARDair makes use of genetic biomarkers which cover the entire immune reaction and are relevant to predicting the risk of hypersensitivity with high accuracy. GARDair is targeted primarily at the chemical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries where there are a wide range of testing needs from pesticides to fragrances. GARDair will be marketed through SenzaGen's laboratory in Lund and the company's licensing laboratories, which will allow immediate availability in Europe and the United States.
Using the same technology platform as the already launched GARDskin, GARDair is supported by the EU's SME program Horizon2020 and has been developed in cooperation with AstraZeneca.
“I have been advising SenzaGen in their preparations for the commercialization of GARDair in my capacity as external and independent Horizon2020 coach. SenzaGen is for me a true EU success story and meets the aims of Horizon2020 by translating an excellent technology platform into a number of excellent products and offerings for the market. It is a true ’High-Tech’ business. They have unique products in growth markets and excellent management. I believe that GARDair will contribute to making SenzaGen a very profitable and successful company,” says Paul Yianni, Horizon2020 coach.
"There is a huge demand for GARDair from customers in the chemicals, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. The ability to test without using animal models whether substances might cause airway allergies brings major benefits in several ways – not only when it comes to developing better and safer products, but also by offering employees a safe production and working environment. GARDair in combination with GARDskin provides new insights and thereby new opportunities for our customers to actively avoid chemicals with multiple allergenic effects," says Anki Malmborg Hager, CEO of SenzaGen.
SenzaGen will unveil GARDair at the 20th International Congress on In Vitro Toxicology (ESTIV2018), October 15-18, 2018 in Berlin, Germany.
For more information, please contact:
Anki Malmborg Hager, CEO, SenzaGen AB
Email: anki.malmborg.hager@senzagen.com
Telephone: +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
This information is information that SenzaGen is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the contact person set out above on September 18, 2018, at 17:30.
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
