Common Problems We Solve

Helping our clients

The traditional approach of determining the safety or efficacy of a compound, be it an ingredient or a drug candidate, is to conduct experiments using animals.  Animals are exposed to a compound or disease, leading to early death, and then compared to a control group of animals. ScitoVation helps clients determine the safety of compounds using new approach methods (NAMs), also known as non-animal methods. These approaches include cell-based and computer modeling techniques, saving clients time and money. What’s more, they are more biologically relevant to humans.

Here are examples of how we typically help clients:

• Optimizing and characterizing the safety (or efficacy) of lead compounds: This may include a single compound or a library of compounds. We screen 30 compounds a month for an existing client to determine those that have a safer profile. We also performed in-depth analysis on lead compounds or compounds that are already in the marketplace, to help address concerns raised by regulators or other stakeholders.
• Understanding the mode of action of a compound:A client came to us because they saw cancer in rats that they didn’t expect to occur in humans. We verified through the mode of action of the compound (Ppar-alpha) would lead to cancer in rats but not humans.
• Translating data from animal studies or in vitro studies to ascertain safe levels in humans: This area of toxicology, dosimetry, is one of our key areas of expertise. We use computer modeling techniques, known as PBPK models, to help determine safe levels for humans for a class of chemicals known as pyrethroids. With our modeling exercise, we were able to show that children were not more sensitive than adults. Based on the data we submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), they removed an artificial adjustment factor for children.

Why Choose ScitoVation?

• Multi-disciplinary team: Our solutions are informed by a team with a broader prospective; hence increasing the innovation of our solutions.
• We provide customized solutions to our clients based on their chemistry and intended use. We do not force fit our solutions.
• Accessibility and flexibility: Because we see ourselves as partners, we are flexible with changing timelines, priorities and scope.
• Scientific Credence: With an excellent reputation, ScitoVation clients can depend on the fact that our solutions are more likely to be accepted by stakeholders in the risk assessment community.
  • We publish 15 to 25 papers per year.
  • We developed our own software tools that received rave reviews including:
  • 1) PLETHEM for modeling the disposition of chemicals in the body or translating observed exposure in laboratory studies (animal or in vitro) to humans.
  • 2) MoAViz for the analysis and visualization of data from toxicogenomic studies.
  • We pioneered the development of methods (assays) to address toxicity for the most complex organs, including the lung.