Phototoxicity
CeeTox has developed screens that offer alternatives to animal testing in support of the European regulations in REACH and Amendment 7 to the Cosmetics Directive.
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By using the in vitro dermal phototoxicity testing services CeeTox offers, clients can practice the 3Rs (reduce, refine, or replace animal testing) and achieve Amendment 7 and REACH directives by reducing or eliminating the need for in vivo testing. These in vitro assays produce reliable outcomes that supplement or replace in vivo data at reasonable cost.
The CeeTox internal review and validation process encompasses discovery, scientific review, and method development. We test and optimize methods using small well-defined chemical sets and perform internal validation with a blinded standards set. Additionally, we participate in formal validation studies for new protocols and submit our novel protocols to validation authorities.
Phototoxicity tests are used to identify the phototoxic potential of a test substance induced by the excited chemical after exposure to light. The test evaluates photo-cytotoxicity by the relative reduction in viability of cells exposed to the chemical in the presence versus absence of light. Substances identified by this test are likely to be phototoxic following systemic application and distribution to the skin, or after topical application.
CeeTox offers two in vitro models for use as phototoxicity screens. For the testing of individual ingredients where solubility is acceptable, the BALB/c 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell line can be used as the test system. The 3D cell model is used if solubility is low and thus precludes using the fibroblast cell ine.