Test Guidelines with components covered by Material Transfer Agreements

Development of Test Guidelines for in vitro methods is increasing. For most of these in vitro test methods, a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) is required with respect to the cell line or other proprietary components of the test method. An MTA is generally signed between a provider and a recipient/user. It may include a number of terms and conditions.

MTAs may be necessary to obtain components to conduct testing according to some Test Guidelines; however, they should not include terms or conditions that would prevent or limit availability of cell lines or other components of these Test Guidelines. It is essential that the MTAs:

1. Allow the use of the MTA-covered components for testing in member countries for purposes of assessment and other uses relating to the protection of man and the environment.
2. Allow commercial contract laboratories to access the MTA-covered components for the purposes given under point 1.

Furthermore, MTAs should ideally refer to the Test Guidelines concerned to avoid any doubts whether users of the OECD Test Guidelines can obtain the MTA-covered components.

EXAMPLE TEST GUIDELINE MATERIAL TRANSFER AGREEMENT (MTA) TEMPLATE

 

Disclaimer: Any MTA is an agreement between the cell bank (provider) owning the biological materials concerned and the recipient of such materials. Therefore, the OECD shall have no responsibility hereto.