Pharmaceutical industry provides unpublished data on chemical substances

ECHA/NR/22/07

Previously unpublished data on chemicals tested to develop medicines is now publicly available. The data is downloadable as IUCLID datasets – the global format for collecting, storing and sharing information on chemicals.

Helsinki, 4 April 2022 – The datasets contain information about the hazard properties of 19 substances from 153 tests. The information can contribute to the development of predictive computational testing models as well as other purposes.

Dr Jan Backman, Head of Chemical Legislation at F.Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd representing the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations says: “Companies provide this high-quality data free of charge for the benefit of society. Our aim is to enhance the effectiveness of database-dependent computational tools, such as QSARs, for testing the safety of structurally similar chemicals. Scientists can use the data to gradually reduce testing on animals. This initiative is open to any company and I invite all to join and share their archived data.”

“We see this as an example of ‘IUCLIDation’ of existing data – it facilitates the sharing, access and re-use of data on chemicals, in line with the EU’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. Promoting harmonised formats and tools like IUCLID is key to achieve this aim. In the long run, this data can be beneficial to develop and promote alternative test methods to replace animal studies,” explains ECHA's Director of Prioritisation and Integration Ofelia Bercaru.

Background

The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) represents the biopharmaceutical industry operating in Europe. So far, four companies – Roche, Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Boehringer Ingelheim – have provided data.

IUCLID is developed by ECHA in association with the OECD. It is the tool for any organisation or individual that needs to record, store, submit and exchange data on chemical substances using OECD Harmonised Templates.