For decades, animal testing has been a key practice used in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and biomedical research. However, as science and technology continue to advance, so does our understanding of ethical considerations in research and experimentation, leading us to seek alternative methods that are not only more humane, but also more reliable and relevant to human biology.
The push for alternatives to animal testing has gained momentum with the newly passed legislation, including the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, which removed the previous, legally-mandated animal testing requirement, before human clinical trials, as a prerequisite for approving new drugs to hit the market. This led to significant strides in developing alternatives to animal testing, which offer promising solutions that balance scientific progress with ethical options that may reduce or eliminate the need for animal testing in many instances.
Issues with Animal Testing
Animal testing involves subjecting animals to various experiments to observe their reactions to certain substances or procedures. While animal testing has historically contributed to scientific discoveries and the development of life-saving treatments, it has also raised significant concerns including:
- Ethical Concerns: Many people find the use of animals for experimentation morally objectionable, as it raises questions about animal rights and suffering. In fact, a survey by Pew Research Center reported that over 50% of American adults oppose the use of animals in scientific research.
- Translational Inaccuracy: Animals may not always provide accurate representations of translational human biology, leading to potential differences in how substances react in animals compared to humans. Numerous studies have shown that over 90% of drugs that succeed in animal tests ultimately fail in human clinical trials.
- High Costs and Time-Consuming: Animal testing can be expensive and time-consuming, as it involves the care and maintenance of the animals and extensive regulatory requirements. Moreover, the high failure rate of animal models in drug testing and development leads to delays in drug approval and increased expenses, causing inefficiencies in the research and development process.
Promising Alternatives
Indeed, there are a number of good alternatives to animal testing. Below we summarize a few of the more promising approaches:
- In Vitro Testing: In vitro methods involve conducting experiments in controlled laboratory environments using human cells or tissues or, in some cases, sophisticated cell culture systems. These tests can provide more accurate results specific to human biology and can be more cost-effective and faster than animal testing. They are widely used in testing drug interactions, toxicity, and efficacy.
- Microfluidic Organ-on-a-Chip Technology: First developed by researchers at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute, these tiny culture devices mimic real human organs’ intricate structures and functions. They are made of a transparent, flexible polymer and are about the size of a USB memory stick. Inside these microdevices are small channels filled with living human organ cells and blood vessel cells, allowing scientists to see how the organs function and how drugs affect them, all without using humans or animals for testing.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Models: The FDA is now focusing on the increasing use of AI in drug development and therapeutics. AI and computational models provide a cost-effective solution for drug development, with Computer-aided Drug Design (CADD) being a modern technique used to identify potential leads and include computational chemistry, molecular modeling, molecular design, and rational drug design. AI has taken the computational approach further by analyzing vast data from computational models and predicting drug interactions with target proteins based on the LLM algorithm, reducing reliance on animal testing.
- 3D Bioprinting: This cutting-edge technology involves creating 3D structures of human tissues called organoids or mini-organs using a layer-by-layer approach with stem cells to which nutrients or growth factors are applied. By example, a European Union (EU) funded project, BRIGHTER, coordinated by Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), develops light-based 3D bioprinting technology to produce functional human tissues to reduce the reliance on animal experimentation in drug testing and potentially lead to lab-grown organs.
- Human Volunteers and Clinical Trials: It may be argued that clinical tests and trials using human volunteers and conducting clinical trials is a more ethical and scientifically relevant than using animals to test the safety and efficacy of new treatments or products. For instance, an alternative approach called micro-dosing involves administering small drug doses to volunteers, affecting cells without major physiological effects. This safe approach helps identify nonviable drugs early, saving costs on unsuccessful animal testing.
Challenges for Animal Testing Alternatives
While alternative testing methods hold immense potential, their successful integration into standard practices is still hindered by several challenges that must be addressed to replace animal testing. Some of these challenges are:
- Regulatory Acceptance: In order to gain acceptance from regulatory bodies such as the FDA or the EMA, alternative methods must demonstrate their reliability and equivalence to animal tests. The passage of the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 was a huge nod in this direction.
- Standardization: There is a need to establish standardized protocols and validation procedures for alternative testing methods to ensure consistency and accuracy.
- Education and Collaboration: Scientists, researchers, and regulators need to collaborate and be educated about the benefits and proper use of alternative methods.
Quantiphi’s Take
Quantiphi, an award-winning, AI-first digital engineering company, has recently launched its AI-powered alternative for animal testing, e.g., DART, which combines human biology with advanced digital technology to provide a cruelty-free solution for predicting drug safety and efficacy. DART uses ethically sourced human stem cells, a Digital Workstation, and AI to predict drug safety based on stem cell-drug interactions. It uses advanced machine learning and computer vision algorithms, data analytics, and a well-developed wet-lab infrastructure to accelerate drug discovery while ensuring safety and efficacy.
The Way Forward
As technology continues to advance, the shift away from animal testing is gaining momentum. Collaborative efforts between scientists, policymakers, and industries are essential to accelerate the adoption of these alternative methods. Investing in research and development of these technologies will not only improve the ethical aspect of testing but also lead to better, more reliable scientific outcomes. The future of research and product safety lies in exploring and embracing these innovative and humane alternatives, bringing us closer to a more compassionate and scientifically advanced world.
DART meets the 3E requirements: Ethical, Efficient, and Effective. Watch this space as we continue to develop alternatives to replace animal testing throughout the pharma and cosmetic industry.
