Would You Like Chips With That? High-Tech Alternatives Could Replace Animal Testing

15 Mar 2023

• By Ed Silverman

The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 should make it easier for companies to gain regulatory authorization using non-traditional testing methods, like organs-on-a-chip. But biopharma will need to make the leap into technology to help build knowledge and data if the drug development world is to move away from animal testing entirely.

As 2022 drew to a close, US President Joe Biden quietly signed a law that rewarded countless researchers and animal-rights activists with a long-sought goal – ending a decades-old requirement that all new drugs must be tested in animals before running studies in humans.

As a result, drug developers can now submit various alternatives based on a growing menu of new technologies, including cell-based...