Humane Toxicity Testing Methods Garner First-Ever Laurie and Carlee McGrath Award
For
Immediate Release:
April
2, 2013
Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382
Washington -- PETA is presenting a new award—the Laurie and Carlee McGrath Award, which includes a $5,000 cash prize—to the MatTek Corporation for its development of sophisticated non-animal tests, which have saved millions of animals from being poisoned and burned. The award is named in honor of Laurie McGrath and her mother, Carlee McGrath, whose San Diego–based McGrath Family Foundation supports PETA's work to replace animals in laboratories with superior non-animal methods.
The Massachusetts-based MatTek Corporation has pioneered the creation of models made from human cells to determine the hazards of chemicals, cosmetics, and nanomaterials. One of its innovations is EpiDerm, a skin model that has already replaced inhumane toxicity tests around the world, saving tens of thousands of rabbits every year from having corrosive and irritating chemicals smeared onto their skin. In the archaic animal test, chemicals are considered corrosive if they burn through rabbits' skin over a 14-day period—and no painkillers are given to the animals.
PETA and PETA U.K. pushed for and helped fund EpiDerm's approval internationally, including by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. MatTek has also developed 3-dimensional tissue construct models derived from human cells to replace the use of animals in eye, inhalation, immune, and other tests.
"MatTek represents intelligent and humane science that has spared millions of animals painful poisoning and skin corrosion and irritation tests," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "Thanks to the McGrath Family Foundation, PETA is pleased to support MatTek's work to modernize testing methods around the world."
Says Dr. Mitch Klausner, MatTek’s Vice President of Scientific Affairs: "MatTek is extremely gratified to be recognized by PETA and appreciates PETA's support in its quest to produce new and improved in vitro test methods that reduce or eliminate animal testing."
For more information, please visit PETA.org.