France’s Genoskin to introduce alternative to animal testing in US

French skin biotech firm Genoskin is planning to expand its footprint in the North American region with the opening of a local production unit in Boston.

Genoskin recycles excess skin donated by patients after common plastic surgery procedures into a patented testing model for cosmetic companies.

This retrieved skin is kept alive for several days in a testing well with a special biological matrix.

The company's human skin testing model could be used by pharmaceutical firms, chemical companies, and research institutions.

Genoskin founder and CEO Pascal Descargues said: “Animal testing is inefficient, time-consuming, expensive, and increasingly perceived as unethical. We believe our technology marks a turning point.

“Not only do our human skin models address all these issues, they also help eliminate the major problem of efficacy and toxicity issues that arise due to differences between animal and human tissue.

“Our skin models help academic institutions, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and chemical companies obtain more predictive results in order to lower research and development (R&D) costs.”

While animal testing for cosmetic products is prohibited in several countries such as the EU and India, it is yet to be banned in the US market. Genoskin has launched a fundraising campaign in the country seeking industrial, financial, and academic alliances to support its expansion.

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Image: Retrieved skin is placed in a testing well with a special biological matrix to keep it alive for several days. Photo: courtesy of Genoskin.