The dermal absorption potential of 14C-Caffeine applied as a 4 mg/mL concentration (10 μL/cm2 finite dose) was investigated in six laboratories under Good Laboratory Practice conditions using an OECD TG 428-compliant in vitro assay with flow-through cells and split-thickness human skin. Potential sources of variation were reduced by a standardized protocol, test item and skin source. Particularly, skin samples from same donors were distributed over two repeats and between labs in a non-random, stratified design. Very similar recovery was achieved in the various assay compartments between laboratories, repeats and donors, demonstrating that the assay can be robustly and reliably performed. The absorption in one laboratory was 5-fold higher than in the others. This did not clearly correlate with skin integrity parameters but might be associated with an accidental COVID-19 pandemic-related interruption in sample shipment. It is possible that other factors may affect dermal absorption variation not routinely assessed or considered in the current method. The mean receptor fluid recovery, potential absorption (recovery in receptor fluid and skin except tape strips 1 and 2) and mass balance of caffeine was 6.99%, 7.14% and 99.13%, respectively, across all and 3.87%, 3.96% and 99.00% in the subset of five laboratories.
An OECD TG 428 study ring trial with 14C-Caffeine demonstrating repeatability and robustness of the dermal absorption in vitro method.