Application of In Vitro Techniques in Drug Safety Assessment

Abstract

There has been progress in the development of in vitro test systems for toxicity evaluations of drugs. The use of in vitro test systems demonstrates the pharmaceutical industry's commitment to the reduction, refinement, and replacement of whole‐animal in vivo tests whenever possible, while balancing this with the need to accurately assess the safety of new products and to protect the public from harm. This article focuses on testing objectives, design, and industrial applications of in vitro test systems in drug safety assessment.