Prediction of Complex Systemic Toxicity Without Use of Experimental Animals

For providing safe and secure products to consumers, it is vital to determine in detail the safety of the materials to be used. On the other hand, it is also important to minimize the burden of safety testing. In an effort to improve the lifestyle of consumers through elaborate safety assessments, Kao has been advancing development of evaluation methods for products and raw materials without use of experimental animals.

It is considered difficult to predict the various systemic effects of chemical substances on the human body using only in vitro testing, as it is also necessary to examine the effects on multiple organs. We have utilized various approaches, such as a computer-assisted technique for examining toxicity on the basis of the chemical structure of a material and existing safety information, as well as in vitro techniques for detailed analysis of the effects on organs using biological samples and cultured cells. In order to solve these difficult problems, understanding of the systemic effects from micro to macro levels is key.

With comprehensive utilization of safety information (big data) currently available throughout the world along with in silico and in vitro technologies, we are focusing on use of the “Read-across (RAx)” method, by which the toxicity of a target substance can be inferred from safety information available for chemically and biologically similar substances. Currently, Kao is aiming to systematize an RAx framework by accumulating case studies. Results obtained from this research will be shared with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, as well as toxicology experts in individual nations, chemical regulators, and industry groups through scientific papers and case reports, and will contribute to create a new framework for risk assessment without the need for animal testing.