Abstract
JRC Recommendation on the Use of Antibodies
The use of animals for antibody production has always been controversial and a great deal of effort has been dedicated to finding alternatives. The JRC’s EU Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL ECVAM) has issued a Recommendation 1 that urges the recognition of the scientific validity of non-animal derived antibodies, and an end to the reliance on animals for antibody development and production.
In the EU, almost one million animals are used every year for the generation of antibodies, but non-animal methods for this process have been available for years. Furthermore, non-animal derived antibodies can be of equal or better quality (in terms of purity, activity, specificity, binding affinity and stability) than animal-derived antibodies. As they can be produced in unlimited quantities, a supply of identical antibodies can be guaranteed, which is essential for the reproducibility of scientific experiments that require affinity reagents.
Unfortunately, several factors contribute to the slow transition from animal-derived to non-animal derived antibodies. For instance, commercial availability is limited, as most providers still generate antibodies by traditional animal immunisation. Also, uptake of non-animal derived antibodies by the scientific community is poor, due to misconceptions about the quality and validity of such reagents. The Recommendation 1 proposes concrete actions for key actors including end-users, commercial providers, authorities, research funding bodies and journal editors. JRC scientist Marlies Halder, co-author of the EURL ECVAM Recommendation, states that: “Animal-derived antibodies typically suffer from batch-to-batch variability and many show low specificity towards the target molecule. These problems can be easily solved through the use of non-animal-derived antibodies obtained by phage display technology. Their use will greatly improve reproducibility and relevance of scientific procedures and lead to more efficient and effective use of research funds.” 2