Endocrine Disruptors
Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are natural or synthetic chemicals that can interfere with and harmfully affect the hormonal system of living organisms. To protect people and the environment from the hazardous impact of endocrine-disrupting compounds, the EU implemented harmonised and legally binding criteria to identify substances as EDs.
The EU Commission has adopted specific criteria to be used in plant protection and biocide legislation. These hazard-based criteria originate from definition of EDs from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Complementary, the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have developed a guidance document for applying the new criteria to EU-wide pesticide and biocide legislation.
Endocrine Disruptor Assessment
We have experience with the entire range of methods used to develop an appropriate assessment strategy for EDs, including mode of action (MoA) analyses and adverse outcome pathway (AOP) concepts as well as weight of evidence (WoE) approaches.
Our Offer
SCC supports its customers with expert work and judgement in evaluating the putative ED properties of compounds. Our experience and continuous monitoring of the current regulatory and scientific developments in the field of endocrine disruption allows us to successfully anticipate regulatory challenges and confidently guide our customers through the difficulties in developing target-specific strategies.
Contact us to find out how we can support you.
Computational Chemistry: In Silico (Eco)toxicology
Computational testing methods are increasingly gaining in importance with raising awareness about high ethical and financial costs of in vivo testing and subsequent interest in reducing tests on animals to a minimum. Computational chemistry allows not only for grouping of chemicals, but also estimating and predicting the (eco)toxicity of compounds and model toxicodynamic and toxicokinetic properties.
In Silico Models
(Quantitative) structure-activity relationship ((Q)SAR) software tools are computational tools used to predict the activity, property and toxicity of new classes of compounds based on the knowledge of their chemical structure. SCC experts are skilled in generating in silico data and performing knowledge- and statistically-based QSAR models (e.g. Toxtree, Vega and U.S. EPA T.E.S.T) to fulfil regulatory hazard information requirements regarding metabolites and impurities.
We apply the OECD QSAR Toolbox for profiling and data-gap-filling, including read-across, and provide detailed descriptions of the models used to ensure the reliability and applicability domains of the model. Finally, our expert teams interpret and discuss the data in a weight of evidence (WoE) approach based on expert judgement.
Our Offer
We offer expert guidance in evaluating specific toxicity endpoints such as genotoxicity and endocrine disruption. For the latter, we use state-of-the-art models and databases to predict and evaluate effects on specific targets as receptors. Among them are:
- ToxCast Pathway Model Prediction
- Danish (Q)SAR Database
- Endocrine Disruptome
Please do not hesitate to contact us to learn how we can help you with your specific needs.