In Vitro International is a provider of non-animal testing methods. It develops and commercializes test kits to perform non-animal-tests, and provides more complex laboratory services with non-animal-testing methods. InVitro’s test kits are typically utilized by manufacturers of surfactants, petrochemicals, cosmetics, textiles, paper and pulp, pharmaceuticals, films and resins, solvents and cleaners, and other chemical raw materials — you know, all those people who provide the raw materials for the finished products you buy in the store. (I’m going to attempt to describe InVitro International’s test kits in the next few paragraphs — please remember that I am not a scientist and if you’d like a more accurate description of these tests, you should go to InVitro International’s webpage).
InVitro International’s products include:
- The InVitro Irritection Assay System — this is a variety of applications which assess ocular and/or dermal irritation. The test itself involves a “membrane disc that permits controlled delivery of the test material to a reagent solution, and a proprietary reagent solution that is composed of proteins, glycoproteins, lipids, and low molecular weight components that self-associate to form a complex macromolecular matrix.” The system uses Windows software for automatic transfer and analysis of data, thus providing accurate and reproducible test results in 24 hours.
- Corrositex — Corrositex is a corrosivity test that is a replacement for (the appallingly inhumane) Draize test (if you’d like to read about Draize testing, click here, but it has very disturbing pictures). Corrositex is Department of Transportation approved, and in less than 4 hours permits assignment of United Nations Packing Group classification I, II, III or Non-Corrosive classification.
- Laboratory services — InVitro International is also available to function as an independent testing laboratory for companies who wish to outsource their irritancy and corrosivity testing. It is also available to consult with companies to establish customized test protocols and specific recommendations for implementing the Irritection technology in any company’s facility. It also provides customer support — it will provide consultation and assistance to companies using the Irritection technology.
- InVitro International also produces a DNA kit — it is called Guardian DNA, and you swab your child’s mouth and then you keep it in the Guardian DNA folder, and then it can be used to identify your child if it is ever kidnapped. (I had no idea this sort of thing even existed. Interesting.)
A point of interest about InVitro International is that it appears to be a publicly traded company — unlike MatTek and SkinEthic, which (I think) are privately owned companies, and the Institute for In Vitro Sciences, which is a nonprofit, you can buy stock in InVitro International. I think it’s interesting that these three business models make alternative-to-animal-testing-products — I’m intrigued as to why one business model hasn’t turned out to be more successful. They must each fulfill different needs?
And that concludes my four-part-series on the day to day activities of alternative-to-animal-testing methods. I hope that was informative!
