The test was developed specifically to bridge the gap between in vitro and in vivo testing, according to the two companies, and it has recently received a European patent.
“By taking advantage of our experience with skin tissue engineering we have set up a preclinical screening model which we consider to be the more representative of the in vivo environment,” said Dr. Paolo Pertile, Cutech CEO.
“To make full use of this model, we apply the most informative and pragmatic cellular and molecular read-out parameters,” he added.
Constantly changing economic and testing parameters
The driving forces behind the development of the new test were the constantly changing testing parameters, alongside the fact that ingredient development is increasingly being driven by economic constraints.
The test has been designed to demonstrate the efficacy of new ingredients before they reach the infinitely more complex and costly clinical testing stage.
Germany-based ingredients provider Symrise and Italy-based biotech company Cutech say the result of the collaborative work is one of the most comprehensive ex vivo skin models ever developed.
Conclusive testing results
The model aims to provide conclusive testing for the efficacy of ingredients used in some of the most pertinent skin care applications, including anti-ageing, skin whitening and anti-cellulite.
It also provides validated screening of individual raw materials, together with finished products for skin care, the companies claim.
Where the new model excels when compared to other ex vivo skin testing models is the fact that it can be used to test the epidermis and the dermis, as well as the subcutaneous tissue and the hair follicles.
Conventional test models invariably only test the epidermis and dermis, but the companies claim that this new model can also be used to provide more accurate predictions of long-term effects in humans.