Eurofins | Newsflash - March 2018 | Cosmetics

Eurofins Strengthens its Animal-free Skin Sensitization Testing Portfolio for Cosmetics and Chemicals with GARD from SenzaGen

This month is the 5th Anniversary of the full implementation of the EU animal testing ban for cosmetic products, which made necessary the fast implementation of solid in vitro tools for assessing the toxicological potential of cosmetic active ingredients and also finished formulations.

Eurofins laboratories are working to find the best solution for our customers. Today we have the pleasure to communicate that Eurofins strengthens its animal-free testing portfolio for Cosmetics and Chemicals with GARD from SenzaGen.

Eurofins BPT Munich has signed a global licensing agreement with SenzaGen, to use the GARD™ test platform of SenzaGen for its future safety testing activities. GARD™ is a genome-based test, with higher accuracy than other available test methods that gives the customers important safety information whether chemical substances are at risk of causing allergies in humans. Eurofins BPT Munich will include both GARD™ tests in its portfolio, GARDskin™ and the add-on test GARDpotency™, as a leading diagnostic tool in its chemical safety testing services to clients in the cosmetic, chemical and pharmaceutical industries worldwide.

GARDskin™, measures changes in gene expression of 200 genes relevant to skin sensitization adverse outcome pathways (AOP). The high amount of data points measured by GARDskin™ gives a specific and high resolution result compared to tests measuring few data points.

GARD potency™ is an add-on application of the GARD platform able to provide the CLP categorization of skin sensitizers Cat 1A for strong sensitizers, Cat 1B for moderate sensitizers, required by REACH Regulation.

GARD™ has the potential to meet the increasing demands in the cosmetics, chemicals and pharmaceutical industries for reliable, animal-free testing methods to assess the allergy-inducing properties of chemical substances. The test is in the process of obtaining regulatory approval and inclusion in international test guidelines.

For further information please contact us at info-munich@eurofins.com

Click here for going the European commission of Ban on Animal Testing.

Plastic and Circular Economy

The European Commission has adopted a strategy concerning plastic materials which is established as a part of the transition towards a more circular economy. It’s expected that all plastic packaging on the EU market will be recyclable by 2030, the single-use plastic consumption will be reduced, and the intentional use of micro-plastics will be limited.

Click here to access the European Commission Press release

D4 and D5 Restriction in Rinse-off Products

With the publication of Regulation (EU) 2018/35 on 11 January 2018 in the Official Journal of the European Union, the European Commission has decided to amend Annex XVII to REACH Regulation to include the substances octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) (EC 209-136-7; CAS 556-67-2) and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) (EC 208-764-9; CAS 541-02-6).

This restriction applies to “wash-off cosmetic products” (those that are washed off with water after application). These shall not contain any of these substances in concentrations equal or greater than 0.1% by weight (from 31 January 2020)

Click here for getting the Official Journal of the European Union

Sunscreens Containing MBBT [nano] are Currently the Subject of a Control Campaign by the DGCCRF Services

MBBT (CAS No 103597-45-1) is currently regulated in Entry 23 Annex VI of the Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 as an authorised UV filter with the maximum concentration of 10 % in cosmetic products. However, the only point missing is the “nano” character of the molecule.

MBBT in nano form received a favorable opinion from the SCCS (Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety) in 2015. SCCS adopted a scientific opinion which established the safety of the nano form at a concentration up to 10 % in dermally applied cosmetics products (Opinion based on the currently available scientific evidence, which shows an overall very low dermal absorption of MBBT in nano- or larger particle forms)

 A draft regulation to include MBBT nano on the UV filter list (Annex VI of Cosmetics Regulation) was prepared in October 2015 by the European Commission. This draft was submitted to WHO (World Health Organization) in January 2017. This project will be submitted to the vote of the Member States on February 28^th.

Click here for getting the SCCS opinion 2015

Click here for getting the text of the Draft Commission Regulation