TAGS: Skin Care
Labskin launches virtual clinical trial (VCT), an innovative method of conducting clinical skin research. Social distancing causes problems for clinical trials where close person to person interaction is needed.
Easier and Safer Trails for Participants
VCT is a combination of lab grown 3D skin models and Labskin’s ability to harvest and replicate a volunteer’s microbiome with proven technologies (online engagement, video, document management, workflow management) to create timely and cost effective trials that are easier and safer for the trial participants.
Labskin’s human skin equivalent platform is an in vitro alternative to using human volunteers and animals in skin testing and is applicable for use in clinical and preclinical evaluations. It consists of human dermal fibroblasts seeded onto a collagen layer, with human keratinocytes layered on top to produce a full-thickness 3-dimensional dermal model with a stratum corneum that can be colonized with skin microbes.
Steps to Conduct a Labskin VCT
The remote clinical trial works in practice as follows:
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Collection of the microflora is carried out in the home by the volunteers themselves under strict video/AI supervision/online customer support
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The volunteers are posted a microbiome collection pack. This pack contains swabs and vessels with proprietary technology that allows swabs and their microflora to be stored and shipped while maintaining the integrity of the microbiome captured
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The pack has an RFID which brings up a web application where trialists can directly log onto their particular trials
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Documentation and questionnaires needed are answered and signed online
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A video screen automatically launches with instructions and AI-based guidance to the volunteer on how to take the swab, store it and return it
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All clinical testing protocols, questionnaires and documentation are made available online
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Trials happen ethically, efficiently with all protocols being followed and social distancing is maintained
In the COVID-19 world, this new platform has many benefits, and it is safe and convenient for clinical trial participants.
Source: Labskin