Xemet started the development of Skin-in-Silico™ skin simulation software in 2008 as a response to anticipated EU animal testing bans, which took effect in cosmetics in 2013. Currently the version Skin-in-Silico™ 4.0 is widely used for predicting the absorption and permeation of drugs, skin care products and other chemicals into and through the skin. Last month UK lead the way by further banning animal testing of both finished household products, as well as ingredients primarily intended for use in these products. Thus there is an urgent need for an alternative testing method for household chemicals, or at least for the exposure assessment of their ingredients. Skin-in-Silico™ technology is now available also for this application.

Skin-in-Silico™ software can rapidly estimate the absorption and permeation both in vivo and in vitro. Simulation predicts the absorption of the components of the chemical dose into the outermost layer of the skin (stratum corneum), and the permeation through the next two layers (viable epidermis and dermis) into a reception fluid (in vitro) or into blood (in vivo). The accuracy of the Skin-in-Silico™ models has been extensively validated against experimental data.

The simulation of a 48-hour test takes about three seconds. This means that tens of compounds, formulations and conditions can be tested in a day, without the use of any reagents or specimens. Simulation can even provide information that is not readily available through in vitro testing; such as determine the concentration gradients in each skin layer or the cumulative effect of consecutive doses. Furthermore, since experimental sources of variation and error are eliminated, simulations have the potential to improve the accuracy and representativeness of data.

Our services and software are increasingly being implemented by leading pharmaceutical and skin care companies to reduce, and in some cases replace, in vitro and in vivo testing. The next blog entry will cover in more detail the current state and advantages of computer simulation compared to animal testing in pharmaceutical and chemical R&D.

For further information please contact:

Dr. Tomi Heiskanen, founder and CEO, tomi@xemet.com or +358 400 491568