A new method called “ex vivo” in detecting the effects on human health of certain substances promises a real possibility to omit animal testing. These are blood tests in laboratory culture, where scientists can detect how drug molecules affect cells in the body. Clinic’nCell start-up was awarded the European Innovation Award.
How the “Ex Vivo” Clinical Approach Works
The INRAE Laboratory and the University of Clermont-Ferrand are developing a start-up of Clinic’n’Cell clinical approach to assess the effects of food and nutrients on human health. The innovative project called “ex vivo” (out of the body) is unique in that it avoids animal testing.
When a drug, supplement, or food is ingested, the molecules pass through the digestive system into the bloodstream. The molecules of the ingested substances act on various cells in the body. Volunteers provide blood that contains these molecules. The researchers then apply the molecules to human cells in laboratory culture. After a few weeks, they can determine how the tested product affects the human body.
Zero Tests on Animals Wins an Award
This approach eliminates the need for animal experimentation. The data also provide a better understanding of what is happening at the molecular level and what mechanisms work between molecules. The new approach is five times faster and ten times cheaper than clinical studies applied so far.
Ex Vivo rapid testing can demonstrate the product’s health benefits and reduce the risk of conventional clinical investments. Clinic’n’Cell’s potential impact on consumer health, an innovative approach linking human metabolism to cell biology, long-term vision, and commercial viability have made an unprecedented impression in the NutraIngredients competition.
Of the 2,000 registered companies, the NutraIngredients media platform, which specializes in dietary supplements and nutraceuticals, has chosen Clinic’n’Cell as the winner in the start-up category for the Europe zone for 2022.
Source and credit: https://clinicncell.com/whats-an-ex-vivo-clinical-trial/
Featured photo by Louis Reed on Unsplash
