Introduction
The transition to animal-free testing is not just a story of scientific innovation and regulatory reform; it is also a story of industrial transformation. The companies that produce our food, drugs, and consumer products have traditionally been the biggest users of animal testing, and their willingness to embrace change is a crucial factor in the success of the animal-free movement. In this fourteenth installment of our series, we explore how companies are adapting to the new paradigm of animal-free safety assessment, from the adoption of new technologies to the development of new business models.
The Pharmaceutical Industry: A Cautious Revolution
The pharmaceutical industry has been one of the most cautious, yet also one of the most significant, adopters of animal-free methods. The high cost and high failure rate of drug development have created a powerful incentive for the industry to find better, more predictive models of human response. The industry has been an early and enthusiastic adopter of technologies like organ-on-a-chip and in silico modeling, and it has been a major driver of innovation in these areas.
However, the pharmaceutical industry is also a highly regulated one, and the path to regulatory acceptance for new methods can be long and arduous. The industry has been understandably cautious about abandoning the tried-and-tested methods of animal testing, and it has often taken a dual-track approach, using alternative methods to supplement, rather than to replace, animal tests.
Despite this caution, the direction of travel is clear. A growing number of pharmaceutical companies are integrating animal-free methods into their drug discovery and development pipelines, and they are working closely with regulators to gain acceptance for these new approaches. The adoption of organ-on-a-chip platforms by major pharmaceutical companies like Roche and AstraZeneca is a clear sign that the industry is serious about embracing change [1].
The Cosmetics Industry: A Radical Transformation
In contrast to the pharmaceutical industry, the cosmetics industry has undergone a much more radical and rapid transformation. The EU’s ban on cosmetics testing on animals, which was fully implemented in 2013, forced the industry to abandon its reliance on animal testing and to embrace a new paradigm of safety assessment based on alternative methods.
This has been a challenging, but ultimately, a successful, transition. The industry has invested heavily in the development and validation of new alternative methods, and it has worked closely with regulators to create a new framework for safety assessment that is based on a combination of in vitro, in silico, and other non-animal methods.
The cosmetics industry’s experience has been a powerful demonstration that it is possible to ensure the safety of consumer products without resorting to animal testing. It has also been a powerful driver of innovation, creating a new market for alternative testing methods and inspiring a new generation of scientists and entrepreneurs.
The Business of Animal-Free Testing
The transition to animal-free testing has not just been a scientific and regulatory one; it has also been a business one. A vibrant new industry has emerged to provide the technologies, services, and expertise that are needed to support the animal-free paradigm. This industry includes a wide range of companies, from small startups to large multinational corporations, and it is a testament to the power of the market to drive innovation and change.
The business models in this new industry are as diverse as the technologies themselves. Some companies, like TissUse and Emulate, are focused on developing and selling organ-on-a-chip platforms. Others, like Labcorp and Exponent, are providing a wide range of in silico toxicology services. Still others are focused on developing and marketing new in vitro assays or on providing consulting services to help companies navigate the complex regulatory landscape.
The emergence of this new industry is a clear sign that animal-free testing is not just an ethical imperative; it is also a significant economic opportunity. As the demand for animal-free methods continues to grow, we can expect to see even more innovation and investment in this exciting new field.
The Future is Collaborative
The transformation of industry is not something that can be achieved in isolation. It requires a collaborative effort, with companies, regulators, academics, and civil society all working together to create a new paradigm of safety assessment. The partnerships between pharmaceutical companies and organ-on-a-chip developers, the collaborations between cosmetics companies and in vitro testing labs, and the public-private partnerships that are driving the development of new alternative methods are all examples of this collaborative spirit in action.
As we will explore in the final installment of our series, the future of animal-free testing is a future of integration, collaboration, and convergence. It is a future where the best of biology, technology, and data science will come together to create a new paradigm of safety assessment that is faster, cheaper, more accurate, and entirely free of animals.
References
- Franzen, N., van Harten, W. H., & Retèl, V. P. (2019). Impact of organ-on-a-chip technology on pharmaceutical R&D costs. Drug Discovery Today, 24(9), 1720-1724. Retrieved from https://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/impact-of-organ-on-a-chip-technology-on-pharmaceutical-rampd-cost
- van de Burgwal, L. H., van Dorst, P., Viëtor, H., & Luttge, R. (2018). Hybrid business models for ‘Organ-on-a-Chip’ technology: The best of both worlds. PharmaNutrition, 6(3), 93-99. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213434417301147