Testing resources related to respiratory toxicity

Cell-based systems

  • AlveoliX has developed the AX lung-on-a-chip system for preclinical testing. This system allows for cell culture on either side of a porous membrane and the application of cyclic stretch to mimic breathing motions.
  • Epithelix Sárl manufactures and sells human tissue for use in in vitro  It specialises in respiratory tissues, with its main product being MucilAir™, a three-dimensional human airway epithelia construct. The company offers MucilAir samples to labs that wish to see how well they work in testing applications. It also provides contract testing for various acute and chronic in vitro studies, including inhalational toxicity and drug delivery testing.
  • Emulate offers an organ-on-chip solution with media flow and stretch to mimic blood flow and breathing motions. They have developed two chips for the lungs with different features: Alveolus Lung-Chip and Ariway Lung-Chip.
  • ImmuONE is specializing in human in vitro cell culture solutions for safety assessment and offers three-dimensional co-cultures of human alveolar epithelial and alveolar macrophage-like cells.
  • MatTek Corporation produces human-derived three-dimensional tissue models, including EpiOral, EpiGingival, EpiOcular, EpiAirway, EpiAlveolar, EpiAirway, EpiIntestinal, EpiVaginal, and EpiDerm. The EpiDerm model has been validated for use in the assessment of skin corrosion and irritation (OECD TGs 431 and 439, respectively).
  • TissUse offers multi-organ-on-a-chip solutions that can be combined with commercially available three-dimensional reconstituted human lung tissues.

Exposure systems

  • Cultex®Laboratories provides in vitro toxicological analysis of airborne substances, such as gases, particles, volatile compounds, and complex gas mixtures at the air-liquid interface to simulate realistic atmospheric conditions (indoor and outdoor).
  • MedTec has a line of in vitro exposure systems that can be used for in vitro toxicity testing.
  • Vitrocell Systems GmbH manufactures exposure systems for in vitro studies of airborne substances, such as gases, complex mixtures, and nanomaterials. Research applications include the study of combustion exhaust, household chemicals, and tobacco smoke, among others.

Testing services

  • Institute for In VitroSciences is a nonprofit research and testing laboratory whose offerings include inhalation toxicity testing (in 2D and 3D systems and  human Precision-Cut Lung Slices (hPCLS)), ocular irritation (OECD TG 437), cytotoxicity (OECD TG 432), percutaneous absorption (OECD TG 428), dermal irritation (OECD TG 439), dermal corrosion (OECD TG 431 and 435), and dermal sensitisation testing.
  • IONTOX provides in vitro toxicology consulting, product development, and laboratory services to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical, tobacco, and food additive industries. Also involved in research and development of new in vitro technologies, IONTOX has developed the Dynamic Multiple Organ Plate (DMOP), a multiple organ culture plate linked with micro-fluidics that assesses systemic toxicity.
  • Senzagen offers services to classify chemical skin and respiratory sensitizers utilizing their Genomic Allergen Rapid Detection (GARD) assays. These assays (GARDSkin and GARDAir) use genomic biomarker signatures for hazard prediction.
  • VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research) is a research and contract testing laboratory that maintains Good Laboratory Practices (GLP)-certified facilities for interlaboratory validation studies.
  • VitroScreen is a research organisation that conducts in vitro pre-clinical and regulatory toxicological services for pharmaceuticals, medical devices, chemicals, cosmetics, nanomaterials, food, biocides, and plant protection products.
  • XCellR8 is an animal-free, GLP-accredited laboratory that tests the safety and efficacy of raw materials and finished products for cosmetic and chemical companies and ingredient manufacturers around the world. Its animal-product-free adaptations of existing tests for skin sensitisation, skin and eye irritation, and skin corrosion have gained regulatory recognition from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and European Chemicals Agency.