Assuring safety without animal testing: Unilever’s ongoing research programme to deliver novel ways to assure consumer safety

Carl Westmoreland

doi:10.14573/altex.2010.3.207

Abstract

Assuring consumer safety without the generation of new animal data is currently a considerable challenge. However, through the application of new technologies and the further development of risk-based approaches for safety assessment, we remain confident it is ultimately achievable. For many complex, multi-organ consumer safety endpoints, the development, evaluation and application of new, non-animal approaches is hampered by a lack of biological understanding of the underlying mechanistic processes involved. The enormity of this scientific challenge should not be underestimated. To tackle this challenge a substantial research programme was initiated by Unilever in 2004 to critically evaluate the feasibility of a new conceptual approach based upon the following key components: 1.Developing new, exposure-driven risk assessment approaches. 2.Developing new biological (in vitro) and computer-based (in silico) predictive models. 3.Evaluating the applicability of new technologies for generating data (e.g. "omics", informatics) and for integrating new types of data (e.g. systems approaches) for risk-based safety assessment. Our research efforts are focussed in the priority areas of skin allergy, cancer and general toxicity (including inhaled toxicity). In all of these areas, a long-term investment is essential to increase the scientific understanding of the underlying biology and molecular mechanisms that we believe will ultimately form a sound basis for novel risk assessment approaches. Our research programme in these priority areas consists of in-house research as well as Unilever-sponsored academic research, involvement in EU-funded projects (e.g. Sens-it-iv, Carcinogenomics), participation in cross-industry collaborative research (e.g. Colipa, EPAA) and ongoing involvement with other scientific initiatives on non-animal approaches to risk assessment (e.g. UK NC3Rs, US "Human Toxicology Project" consortium).

Highlights

Unilever’s commitment to eliminating animal testing has been underpinned by our scientific research programme since the 1980’s in developing and using alternatives to animal tests
Our research efforts are currently focussed on the development and evaluation of new risk assessment approaches for assuring consumer safety in the areas of skin allergy (Maxwell et al, 2008) and cancer, and consideration of how risk-based approaches and the application of new models and technologies could be applied in the area of general toxicity
In order to develop alternative approaches for consumer safety, Unilever has its own in-house research programme and in addition works in partnership with a number of external groups

Summary

Introduction

Unilever’s commitment to eliminating animal testing has been underpinned by our scientific research programme since the 1980’s in developing and using alternatives to animal tests. The scientific and technical challenges associated with assuring consumer safety without any animal testing in the areas outlined above are enormous and it is clear that no single research group or company will achieve these goals alone. For this reason, in order to develop alternative approaches for consumer safety, Unilever has its own in-house research programme and in addition works in partnership with a number of external groups. Highlights of WC7 volved in EU-funded projects, e.g. Sens-it-iv, Carcinogenomics, we participate in cross-industry collaborative research, e.g. The European Cosmetics Association (Colipa) and the European Partnership on Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA), and have ongoing involvement with other scientific initiatives on non-animal approaches to risk assessment, e.g. UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), US “Human Toxicology Project” consortium looking to follow up the 2007 report from the US National Research Council (NRC, 2007)

Skin allergy

Cancer

General toxicity