Human Cell Culture Can Predict Potential Toxicity of Drugs and Other Chemicals

Primary human cells can be used in place of animals to test environmental and industrial chemicals, according to a new paper published in Nature Biotechnology.

Several different human cell types, cultured alone or in combination, were used to test more than 100 drugs that had failed clinical trials and more than 700 chemicals.

This in vitro technique shows promise as an alternative to animal tests for predicting safety issues related to drugs and chemicals to which humans may eventually be exposed.