Objective - to create standardised corneal and retinal cell culture procedures to be used in drug toxicity/ safety studies. -to characterise drug-induced unwanted changes in the cornea and retina at cellular and molecular level in standardised cell cultures. - to propose an in vitro test battery using standardised eye cell cultures.This transeuropean research consortium aims to improve the scientific and technical basis for the evaluation of oculotoxicity in vitro and to replace laboratory animal testing by cell culture techniques. Research on various biochemical aspects is applied to cultured corneal (CE) and retinal (RPE) cells. In addition to the conventional cell toxicity testing, tests with novel biochemical and toxicological markers are developed in corneal and retinal cell cultures: e.g. apoptosis, matrix proteins, cell membrane damage, permeability changes, induction of biotransformation enzymes, phagocytic activity of RPE cells, formation of DNA adducts, antioxidative defence systems and retinal neurotoxicity. With these tasks the epithelial integrity of the cornea and the homeostasis of the retina will be evaluated, and the mechanisms of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of reference compounds and penetration enhancers (PEs) determined. Through participation of pharmaceutical industry in the project, the consortium is privileged to study investigational new drugs (INDs) with systemic, corneal and intravitreal delivery, and to compare them with reference drugs of the same category with clinically documented ocular ADRs. The aim of the proposed project is to develop a standardised in vitro test battery, based on sensitive markers for detection of eye toxicity. The tests are designed for safety evaluation and screening purposes to be used by pharmaceutical industry, by national authorities, and by the EMEA. Four university laboratories from four European countries and two pharmaceutical companies from Europe have established an efficient research network by combining their multidisciplinary expertises, necessary in the development of an in vitro test battery for efficient screening of oculotoxicity. Fields of science medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineophthalmologymedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacyadverse drug reactionsmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologyhomeostasisnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes Programme(s) FP4-BIOMED 2 - Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of biomedicine and health, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 1.1 - Pharmacotoxicology Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator University of Tampere Address Pobox 607 33101 Tampere Finland See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Orion Corporation Ltd. Finland EU contribution € 0,00 Address 425,p.o.box 20101 Turku See on map Oy Star AB Finland EU contribution € 0,00 Address 47,pansiontie 47 20101 Turku See on map University of Ioannina Greece EU contribution € 0,00 Address Dourouti (university campus) 451 10 Ioannina See on map Università degli Studi di Pisa Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via bonanno pisano 33 56126 Pisa See on map Universität Bremen Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address Kufsteiner str. 1 28334 Bremen See on map
