Genoskin Showcases HypoSkin® Ex Vivo Platform at SOT Annual Meeting

• Findings from collaboration with global immunology company argenx show HypoSkin as translational human-based New Approach Methodology (NAM) platform
• SOT 2026 poster on early local tolerance screening demonstrates potential to reduce reliance on animal testing 

Toulouse, France, and Salem, MA, USA, March 18, 2026 – Genoskin, the first Contract Research Organization (CRO) to develop ex vivo human skin platforms capable of testing injectable drugs and implanted medical devices, announces today the presentation of a poster in collaboration with argenx, a global immunology company, during the 2026 SOT Annual Meeting, March 22–25 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. The findings contribute to the pharmacological validation of Genoskin’s HypoSkin^® biostabilized ex vivo human skin platform.
 
HypoSkin human skin models provide the closest alternative to directly administering a compound into an actual person’s skin. They are designed to help drug and vaccine developers accelerate the selection of viable drug candidates. Thanks to Genoskin’s unique technology, these models enable the acquisition of relevant and accurate translational human data when it comes to injection site reactions and immune responses.
 
Due to a lack of validated in vitro alternatives, formulation safety testing still relies heavily on in vivo studies. However, the study presented at SOT shows that Genoskin’s HypoSkin model successfully detects toxic control formulations, demonstrating its sensitivity and in vitro-in vivo correlation. Macroscopic imaging and histopathology consistently capture compound-induced alterations, making them robust, translational endpoints across donors and technical replicates.
 
The abstract #3267, presented at the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, is entitled ‘Hyposkin^® as a human-based NAMs platform for local toxicity and formulation safety assessment’ and is co-authored by researchers from Genoskin and argenx.
 
“The study presented alongside argenx’s immunology specialists clearly shows that HypoSkin is a valuable human-relevant alternative to in vivo safety testing,” said Nicolas Gaudenzio, Chief Scientific Officer at Genoskin. “Further refinement of the experimental design and techniques could enhance its potential as a reliable alternative for early-stage formulation safety screening, reducing reliance on animal testing.”
 
“Our collaboration with Genoskin reflects our commitment to working with partners who share argenx’s standards for scientific excellence and innovation. Its ex vivo human skin platform delivers high-quality, reproducible data that support informed decision-making in complex immunological settings. We see Genoskin as a trusted partner, combining technical excellence with a deep understanding of immunology.” said Karen Silence, Head of Preclinical Product Development at argenx.
 
“We are proud to be working collaboratively with experts at one of the largest European biotech companies on toxicity assessment of new formulations,” said Pascal Descargues, Founder and CEO of Genoskin. “We look forward to expanding our capabilities and developing new skin models, based on our European and global clients’ requests. This collaboration reflects the growing demand for predictive, human-based models that enable more informed decisions earlier in development.”
  
The non-clinical testing market is undergoing a significant transformation. Demand for alternative testing models is projected to grow from $108.6 billion in 2025 to $155.4 billion by 2034, at a CAGR of 4.1%. At the same time, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies face mounting international pressure from regulatory bodies to reduce or eliminate animal testing, creating a clear demand for ethical alternatives.
 
Genoskin meets this need with its scalable and sustainable alternative to animal testing. By leveraging its proprietary preservation technology and donated human skin, the company provides live immunocompetent ex vivo platforms that remain viable for up to seven days post-surgery, enabling more predictive, human-relevant testing than traditional animal or engineered models.
 
Backed by a strong IP portfolio, an established tissue sourcing network and a proven scalable service model, Genoskin’s solutions deliver translational human-relevant insights that improve predictability and regulatory acceptance. This combination gives Genoskin a unique competitive advantage in supplying biopharma, cosmetics and consumer goods companies with models that reflect human physiology, especially for skin-related delivery routes such as injectables, including biologics and topically administered therapeutics.
 
About Genoskin
Genoskin is a Contract Research Organization (CRO) and supplier of human skin models and primary mast cells, transforming drug development through its unique expertise in skin biology and immunology. By leveraging donated human skin and proprietary preservation technologies, Genoskin provides immunocompetent ex vivo platforms that enable more translational, human-relevant testing than traditional animal or engineered models, and align with the evolving regulatory expectations outlined in the FDA Modernization Act 2.0.
Founded in 2011, Genoskin offers a suite of advanced solutions to evaluate immune responses, injection site reactions and skin toxicity across therapeutics, biologics, vaccines, medical devices and chemicals. Through a combination of next-generation sequencing, advanced imaging and expert scientific guidance, Genoskin supports pharmaceutical, biotechnology and cosmetics companies in generating robust, translational human data to accelerate development with greater confidence.
In September 2025, Genoskin successfully completed an €8 million ($8.7M) fundraising round led by OCCTE (FPCI Occidev Impacts), alongside Captech Santé, GSO Innovation and CA Toulouse 31 Initiatives, with additional non-dilutive financing from Bpifrance and leading banking partners. This financing supports Genoskin’s next phase of growth, including doubling its workforce over the next three years, expanding its commercial presence in key global markets - particularly in Europe and Asia - and scaling operations through facility expansion in the US and France.
As part of its growth strategy, Genoskin is advancing new immune-centric service offerings, accelerating the development of biosimulation platforms and next-generation human immune models, and increasing production capacity to meet the rising demand for ethical, human-relevant alternatives to animal testing.
Headquartered in North America and Europe, Genoskin operates state-of-the-art R&D and production facilities in Salem, Massachusetts (USA) and Toulouse, France, with about 50 employees across France and the United States.
www.genoskin.com