EuropaBio promotes alternatives to animal testing

As a founding member of the European Platform for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EPPA), EuropaBio has successfully promoted biotech companies researching and providing alternatives to animal testing.  The biotechnology revolution of recent years has triggered a wave of innovation, creating new solutions to supplant animal testing, not to mention the added turnover it has meant for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

A recent study jointly undertaken by the European Commission’s Research Department and the JRC has reported that four new biotech testing methods can reduce the need for animals and cut validation times in half. These newly discovered assays for bacterial contamination detection (known as pyrogens) have the potential to reduce animal tests in Europe by 200,000 rabbits each year. Most interestingly, they can also be used for new cell therapies, where no appropriate test had previously been available. 

"EuropaBio's membership in the EPAA has enabled a small biotech company like Straticell to show how we are meeting the big challenge of reducing the need for animal testing thanks to the alternatives we are developing.  For instance we see this initiative as an excellent platform to voice our concerns as a small company to develop a suitable regulatory framework ensuring that these tests can be validated and accepted in all member states at an affordable cost".

--Michel Salmon, CEO, StratiCELL
 

About the EPAA

The European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA) is a joint initiative between the European Commission, European trade associations for seven industry sectors and individual companies. This is a unique initiative bringing together about 30 companies across seven industry sectors, allowing a holistic and more innovative approach to safety testing using best science and expertise. 

It was launched on 7 November 2005 at a major conference “Europe Goes Alternative” by Commissioners Verheugen and Potocnik (Enterprise and Research), with the purpose to rationalise and optimise further the use of 3Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement) methods and modern alternative approaches to regulatory safety testing by sharing for the first time, best practice across sectors and through open dialogue between industry, the Commission and other stakeholders.

Its Action Programme covers areas such as mapping existing methods and research into 3Rs, developing new approaches, communication, dissemination, validation and acceptance of alternatives.

Six working groups comprised of experts from different industry sectors, from the Commission and, where appropriate, from other stakeholders groups, are coordinating the implementation.

·          WG 1: Mapping of past and current 3R activities to better inform the planning and prioritisation of subsequent actions

·          WG 2: Prioritisation, promotion and implementation of future research based on the application of the 3Rs

·          WG 3: Identification, dissemination and implementation of best practice in the use of the 3Rs

·          WG 4: Implementation of the 3Rs in regulation and decision making

·          WG 5: Validation and acceptance based on the 3Rs

·          Communication Team

An industry structure consisting of an Industry Steering Committee (ISC) supported by a project manager was put in place to secure coordination of the input from all companies and trade associations. An extranet for ISC members and industry experts was also created.

In addition to the annual conference, which will take place at the end of 2007, a partners’ forum for all industry partners and experts is planned in May/June to review the overall strategy and needs.

For more information, visit: www.epaa.eu.com

First year achievements of the EPAA

 On 18 December 2006, the EPAA held its first annual conference to present the Annual Progress Report and discuss its activities with representatives from industry, academia, animal welfare organisations, national, European and international institutions.

The unprecedented character of the partnership, bringing together seven industry sectors and EU Commission services, was able in its first year to identify common grounds for collaboration, to put in place a five-year action programme based on a preliminary and realistic assessment of needs, and to establish a structure for implementation of the programme drawing on the expertise of all member companies and Commission services.

Although the majority of actions have a medium to long-term perspective, a number of short-term objectives have been achieved this year. The steps to document all 3Rs activities and to put in place process leading to facilitating validation of prioritised methods in ECVAM pipeline have progressed rapidly. In future years this will be key to orientating research and avoiding possible duplication of effort. Similarly, a project to map all legislation governing animal testing for safety assessment has identified a number of areas where collaboration between industry and regulators can enhance application of replacement, reduction and refinement methods in safety testing.

Speeches, presentations and conclusions from the Conference as well as the 1^st year progress report are available at: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/epaa/conf.htm.

Information on the EPAA Annual Conference held in Brussels on the 5th of November 2007 is available on: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/epaa/conf.htm.

EuropaBio Contact about the EPAA: Alexandre Custaud

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