SenzaGen secures new grant from Research Institute for Fragrance Materials to spot potential allergens

11 Jul 2024 --- SenzaGen gets a new grant from the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) worth SEK 1.5 million (US$142,270) to assess chemical substances’ allergenicity using its animal-testing-free technology.

The Swedish company’s Gardskin Dose-Response technology measures safe dose levels of substances. The testing will be conducted at its GLP-certified laboratory in Lund, Sweden.

RIFM focuses on the safe use of fragrance materials in consumer products. Its scientific assessments help consumer product industries remain well-informed and manage the safe use of fragrance ingredients.

Eliminating animal testing
SenzaGen and RIFM have been working together since 2021.

“Renewed trust from RIFM highlights the strength of our ongoing collaboration and reinforces the performance and broad applicability of the Gard technology. Our unique Gardskin Dose-Response method remains at the forefront of research, and we eagerly anticipate delivering outcomes that advance the shift to non-animal testing and enhance product safety in the market,” says Peter Nählstedt, CEO and group president of SenzaGen.

The company says the upcoming tests will reveal whether Gardskin Dose-Response can identify potential allergens within a specific chemical group.

“One of our goals at RIFM is to conduct a quantitative risk assessment of fragranced consumer products using non-animal methods. The Gard skin dose-response assay shows promise as a pathway forward in deriving a point of departure without animal testing,” says Isabelle Lee, senior scientist at RIFM.

The method is said to provide quantitative data that “eliminates” the need for animal testing when checking the safe limit concentration of a substance to be used without causing allergies. The process helps companies make research and development decisions.

Fragrance in headlines
In other collaborations, biotech company Debut extended its deal with L’Oréal to develop more than a dozen “vital and bio-identical” ingredients that will replace conventionally sourced ingredients currently used in L’Oréal global beauty and personal care brands across skin, hair, color cosmetics and fragrance.

We also learned about the fragrance market from International Flavors & Fragrances, including how the industry has moved beyond a focus on scent and is shifting toward mood-based innovations.

By Venya Patel