Metabolically competent in vitro systems
The European Commission's Joint Research Centre wishes to award a study contract on the prevalidation and validation of metabolically competent in vitro systems for predicting metabolism-mediated toxicity. The JRC�s European Centre for the Evaluation of Alternative Testing Methods, ECVAM, wishes to promote the scientific and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods which are of importance to the biosciences and which limit the use of laboratory animals. In this respect the ECVAM is interested in metabolism-mediated toxicity. ECVAM requires the study to prevalidate and validate selected properly developed tests and an appropriate testing strategy. The contract would require a prevalidated/validated testing strategy for predicting metabolism-mediated toxicity which can be forwarded for consideration by the regulatory authorities. Some of the widely used in vitro metabolically competent models will be evaluated as candidates for inclusion in the study and testing strategy. These include sub-cellular liver fractions, hepatocyte suspensions, hepatocyte cultures, established cell lines, precision-cut liver slices, and cDNA expressed drug-metabolism enzymes. For further information please contact: European Commission Joint Research Centre Institute for Health and Consumer Protection ECVAM Validation of Biomedical Testing Method Mrs C Dal Molin TP 580 Via Enrico Fermi 1 I-21020 Ispra Fax +39-03-32785336