MAT Enables Animal-Free Detection of a Broad
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In the pharmaceutical industry, pyrogen detection is mandatory to avoid the life-threatening fever reactions that can be induced by both microbial and non-microbial substances. The Monocyte Activation Test (MAT) was introduced into the European Pharmacopeia (EP) in 2010 following publications of international validations. This test was developed as an alternative to animal-based methods and was aimed at offering the opportunity to perform pyrogen testing in a human in vitro system.
The first fever-causing agents, “pyrogens”, were identified in 1912 by Hort and Penfold, who designed a pyrogen test based on injection of material into rabbits. The required high number of pyrogen tests on rabbits and the variable sensitivity of that test system made the development of alternative tests highly necessary. The in vitro Monocyte Activation Test for pyrogen detection offers a valuable alternative to the rabbit test. It produces results that are both reliable and reproducible, which are essential for quality assurance. |
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Merck provides two MAT systems for the detection of a broad spectrum of Pyrogens:
Rabbit | LAL | PyroDetect | PyroMAT™ | ||
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Test Type | In vivo | Ex vivo | In vitro (Cryopreserved whole blood) |
In vitro (Monocytic cell line) |
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Animal Consumption | ++ | + | - | - | |
Contaminant Detection | Gram-negative (LPS) | + | + | + | + |
Gram-positive (LTA) | + | - | + | + | |
Yeasts & Molds | + | - | + | + | |
Viruses | +/- | - | + | + | |
Application | Pharmaceuticals | + | + | + | + |
Biologicals | + | +/- | + | + | |
Medical devices | + | +/- | + | + | |
Cell therapeutics | - | +/- | + | + |