Taiwan’s ITRI develops 3D printed Chinese skin for cosmetics testing

The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan has developed 3D printed bionic skin as an alternative for cosmetics testing on animals.

Called EPiTRI, the bionic epidermal tissue is designed for in-vitro use during cosmetic safety assessments such as epidermis corrosion and irritation tests.

The new 3D printing technology is expected to aid cosmetic manufacturers in the development of new materials and formula, while complying with international regulations. These guidelines have been in place since 2013, when the use of animals for cosmetics testing was banned in the EU.

Derived from the skin cells of people of Chinese descent, EPiTRI is comprised of layers that are similar to real human skin tissue. It has identical lipid profiling and barrier functions to normal human skin, reported 3Dprint.com.

According to the news agency, ITRI’s Laser and Additive Manufacturing Technology Centre (LAMC) deputy director Lai Fengwen said that active biological tissue is used to 3D print EPiTRI at 4°C temperatures to maintain biological cell activity.

In addition to the cosmetics industry, the EPiTRI bionic skin is expected to help in the elimination of animal testing for various sectors such as medical devices, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and environmental toxicology.

The research facility also developed human skin equivalent Melano-EPiTRI, which consists of melanocytes and can be used for the development of new active ingredients that have potential applications in whitening and tanning products.