Detailed Review Paper on Respiratory Sensitisation

This document provides an overview of the state-of-the-science, techniques and methods available to test and assess the respiratory sensitisation potential of chemicals. Respiratory sensitisation is an allergic reaction that manifests through the respiratory tract and is colloquially called “asthma”. There are currently no standardised methods to test this effect. The purpose of the Detailed Review Paper (DRP) is to facilitate the development of non-animal test methods to predict the respiratory sensitisation potential of low molecular weight chemicals. The DRP provides the current regulatory context and explores the science of the mechanisms of action and pathways at stake with respiratory sensitisation. A list of reference chemicals is provided to serve as benchmarks for further validation and performance evaluation of candidate methods and approaches. Then the DRP provides an overview of the available methods (in silico, in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo models), with the possibility of comparing their level of readiness. The DRP concludes with some recommendations for further work.