ECHA has published advice on how to use the OECD guideline to REACH registrants on how to reliably combine different sources of non-animal data on skin sensitisation properties of their substances. This is the first guideline outlining how to use in silico tools like the QSAR Toolbox for this purpose. Mike Rasenberg, ECHA’s director for hazard assessment, described it as “an important milestone for advancing the use of alternative methods to assess chemical hazards”.

In silico testing specialist Kreatis has undergone a buy-out by the management team after 12 years as a subsidiary company of the Cehtra group in France. It will continue to be headed by Paul Thomas, president and founder of the firm in 2014.