SenzaGen expands its market presence in the USA with licensing agreement with IIVS
SenzaGen has entered into a global licensing agreement with the US-based contract laboratory Institute for In Vitro Sciences, Inc (IIVS) for its innovative, non-animal GARD® test portfolio used in chemical risk assessment. The agreement gives IIVS the right to sell and perform the company’s pioneering tests on behalf of clients at their facility in Maryland, USA. This partnership enhances SenzaGen’s presence in the key U.S. market and adds capacity and scalability to its business.
The USA, along with Europe, represents one of SenzaGen’s most important markets. The increasing demand for animal-free testing reflects ongoing advancements in alternative testing methods and the growing number of bans on animal testing. By partnering with IIVS, one of the world’s foremost non-profit advocates of in vitro technology, SenzaGen will leverage an extensive network of clients and a proficient partner to drive progress in this field.
"The new licensing agreement allows SenzaGen to enhance its visibility and accessibility in the U.S. through a highly reputable partner. IIVS is a well-established brand and a leader in non-animal testing. This agreement provides increased flexibility, capacity, and scalability for our business, enabling us to accelerate our market share growth. With IIVS, we have a partner who shares our dedication to top-tier product quality and supports our mission to move away from animal testing," says Peter Nählstedt, CEO and Group President of SenzaGen.
IIVS will promote SenzaGen's tests as part of its in vitro toxicology test portfolio, targeting industries such as chemicals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. The three-year agreement, with an option for extension, provides SenzaGen with royalties for each GARD® test conducted. IIVS has the right to sell and conduct all available GARD® tests.
“SenzaGen’s scientific excellence and unique technology perfectly align with our mission to evaluate, promote, implement and use highest-quality non-animal testing methods worldwide. The high performance and broad applicability of the GARD® technology underscore the strength of the tests while reducing the need for animal studies. We eagerly anticipate supporting and advancing our collaboration with SenzaGen,” says Hans Raabe, COO of IIVS.
The GARD® test platform determines whether chemicals can cause skin or respiratory allergies and assesses their potential as strong or weak allergens. It is designed for companies aiming to avoid animal testing, improve product safety, and prevent costly mistakes during development. This unique platform combines genomic data from human cells with machine learning, offering both high performance and broad applicability for evaluating pure chemicals as well as those with challenging properties, such as complex mixtures that are traditionally difficult to test. Since 2022, GARD®skin for skin sensitization has been approved by OECD (TG 442E).
About IIVS
IIVS is a non-profit organization wholly dedicated to the promotion of rapid and innovative non-animal testing methods. Founded in 1997, IIVS is recognized as primary provider of in vitro testing methods in support of toxicological safety evaluations for both industry and government. Rigorous scientific programs coupled with educational and outreach initiatives have established IIVS as a global leader in the advancement of alternatives to animal testing. For more information, please visit: https://iivs.org/.