Animal testing is always a concern with drug development projects and one that we take very seriously.

Mouse animal models will be used in this work only after lead antivirals show very promising efficacy and selectivity in cell culture systems. Animal work will be performed at Utah State University (USU), which is an approved Center for performing animal testing under contract from the United States National Institutes of Health Antiviral Screening Program. Facilities and researchers involved in these animal studies are in complete compliance with all US laws, as well as the Public Health Services Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm). Moreover, USU facilities are fully accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC; www.aaalac.org). The AAALAC relies on the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Research Council 1996) as its primary standard for evaluating laboratory animal care and use programs. Finally, all animal testing is approved and monitored by a federally mandated Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (http://www.iacuc.org/), which include trained veterinarians.

Thank you for you concern (which we share) and your help.

Watowich, Project PI

Thanks for all details.
In silico method and virtual screening are greatest opportunities to select only the very promising compounds and hugely reduce animal testing.
And reduce the number of testing is the best way to take care of each guinea pig

This is why all friend of animals should support this effort.