VICT3R

Developing and implementing VIrtual Control Groups to reducE animal use in toxicology Research


The VICT3R project is a public-private partnership funded by the European Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), dedicated to reducing animal use in toxicology research. Aligned with the 3Rs principles—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement—VICT3R aims to revolutionize the field by developing innovative Virtual Control Groups (VCGs) that not only enhance scientific outcomes but also uphold higher ethical standards. Running from 1st of September 2024 to 29th of February 2028, the project is set to make a significant impact in toxicology research.

The project brings together 33 partner organizations in a powerful alliance led by Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona, Spain) and Bayer AG (Berlin, Germany). This partnership includes 20 industry leaders, 7 innovative small- and medium-sized enterprises, and 6 top-tier academic institutions. Together, we will drive the development of Virtual Control Groups (VCGs), leveraging decades of control animal data from the pharmaceutical, industrial, and academic sectors.

A key goal of VICT3R is to achieve the acceptance of the VCG approach for regulatory decision-making. Therefore, VICT3R will collect, curate, and analyse large datasets of control animals from different species to produce a large high-quality database.

Some specific objectives of VICT3R are:

  • Develop a standardized database with historical, high-quality data from control animals used in systemic toxicity studies.
  • Establish operational procedures and tools for data characterization and quality control.
  • Generate statistical and AI-based workflows and computational tools for the generation of VCG based on the experimental data stores in the database.
  • Test the performance of replacing CCGs with re-sampled or synthetic control groups through the evaluation of studies that compare the results obtained using both strategies in retrospective and prospective real-world research.
  • Achieve regulatory acceptance of the VCG concept.
  • Extend the VCG concept to other types of animal studies to further reduce animal use.

    • For more information about VICT3R project, visit the website:www.vict3r.eu

    VICT3R is supported by €28 million in funding from the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU), along with contributions from industry partners. This substantial backing enables VICT3R to drive innovation and achieve its ambitious goals in reducing animal use in toxicology research.

    This project is supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) under grant agreement No 101172693. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme and COCIR, EFPIA, Europa Bío, MedTech Europe, and Vaccines Europe and Instem Scientific Limited.
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