Osmo, the first company to digitize scent, has announced the publication of a groundbreaking study in Alternatives to Laboratory Animals, demonstrating how artificial intelligence can eliminate the need for animal testing in skin irritation assessments. The research, conducted in collaboration with the Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS), successfully evaluated the skin irritation potential of over 3,000 chemicals using validated non-animal testing methods—data that would have required up to 19,134 rabbits using traditional animal testing approaches. This study marks the first time an AI system for predicting skin irritation has been trained exclusively on data derived from human-relevant, non-animal laboratory methods, rather than animal-derived data. The findings represent a major leap forward in ethical and scientifically advanced safety testing. The research was based on reconstructed human epidermis models—advanced in vitro systems that mimic human skin—and was part of a Gates Foundation-funded project aimed at discovering compounds that repel, attract, or eliminate disease-carrying insects. These models provided a robust, human-relevant dataset that was used to train Osmo’s proprietary Olfactory Intelligence platform, an AI system specialized in scent and chemical interactions. “This is a transformative moment for industries that have long relied on animal testing,” said Alex Wiltschko, founder and CEO of Osmo. “With AI, we’ve proven that we can assess skin safety faster, more accurately, and with greater relevance to human biology—without harming animals. This method will now be the foundation for all future skin-safety evaluations at Osmo, ensuring our innovations protect both people and animals.” Huang (Grace) Huang, Ph.D., Toxicologist II and Study Director at IIVS, emphasized the broader impact of the work: “This project shows what’s possible when cutting-edge in vitro science and artificial intelligence converge. By adapting a non-animal skin irritation test to analyze over 3,000 chemicals in just ten months, we created a powerful dataset that trained a highly predictive AI model. This achievement accelerates chemical safety assessment, reduces reliance on animal studies, and strengthens risk evaluation with data that better reflects human responses.” The AI tool developed through this initiative is designed to predict skin irritation across vast libraries of molecules, with far-reaching implications for industries ranging from cosmetics and pharmaceuticals to agriculture and consumer products. By enabling rapid, scalable, and ethical screening, it paves the way for safer chemical development and faster innovation. The study is now available in Alternatives to Laboratory Animals and stands as a milestone in the global shift toward modern, human-relevant safety testing. Osmo, launched in January 2023 with $60 million in Series A funding led by Lux Capital and Google Ventures, is pioneering the digitization of scent. By combining AI, chemistry, engineering, and neuroscience, the company is creating precision scent solutions for the fragrance industry and expanding into public health, security, and other high-impact sectors. Learn more at osmo.ai. The Institute for In-Vitro Sciences (IIVS), founded in 1997, is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing non-animal testing methods. Recognized as a global leader in in vitro toxicology, IIVS supports scientific innovation, education, and policy change to replace animal testing with human-relevant alternatives. For more information, visit www.iivs.org.