British American Tobacco joins the Scientific Advisory Panel of the Institute of In Vitro Sciences, USA

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British American Tobacco joins the Scientific Advisory Panel of the Institute of In Vitro Sciences, USA
News release

18 April 2012

British American Tobacco’s (BAT) Group Research & Development (GR&D) Centre has become the newest member of the Scientific Advisory Panel of the Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS), USA.

IIVS, which was founded in 1997, is a recognized leading provider of in vitro testing in support of toxicological safety evaluations. Rigorous scientific programmes coupled with educational and outreach initiatives have established IIVS as a global leader in the advancement of alternatives to animal testing. The Scientific Advisory Panel is comprised of representatives from companies and organizations eager to promote the use and acceptance of alternative methods to animal testing.

“We rely on the expertise of our panel members to help determine the direction and focus of our scientific activities,” said Dr. Rodger Curren, President of IIVS. “As companies such as BAT dedicate significant resources to the implementation and use of alternative methods, we assist them in evaluating the technology and introducing these methods to the regulatory community.” IIVS has on-going programmes with US agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration to discuss how in vitro methods can be utilized in a regulatory setting. Since US-based companies seek harmonization of the use of non-animal methods, IIVS participates with regulators and validation authorities worldwide.

British American Tobacco’s GR&D Centre has established an in-house research programme developing in vitro models relevant to a number of tobacco-related diseases such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), oxidative stress and inflammatory disease processes.

“We fully support the development and application of in vitro methods as alternatives to limit the use of in vivo studies,” said Dr. Marianna Gaca, BAT’s IIVS Scientific Advisory Panel representative. “ We hope the in vitro models we are developing will help facilitate the understanding of the biological effects of tobacco smoke and, in the future, help support the assessment of conventional and modified risk tobacco products,” she said.

NOTES TO EDITORS

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