Following the news that global biopharmaceutical group Ipsen has implemented a new cell-based test for toxin products, Aesthetics looks at patient perceptions towards animal testing
Botulinum toxin manufacturer Ipsen recently announced that it had implemented the use of a cell-based test for products sold in the EU.(1,2) The in vitro Cell-Based Assay (CBA) test aims to replace the controversial LD50 (lethal dose) poisoning test, which is defined as ‘the dose of a test substance that is lethal for 50% of the animals in a dose group’.(3) The announcement was applauded by animal activist groups such as Cruelty Free International and the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE). Dr Katy Taylor, director of science at the ECEAE, stated, “We are delighted that Ipsen has successfully gained the approval of a non-animal alternative in Europe. This will put an end to the cruel killing of hundreds of thousands of mice for the testing of their botulinum toxin products.”4 Since 2013 there has been a complete EU ban on the manufacture, import and marketing of…
