Active involvement in the European and International initiatives to improve standardisation and assays for neutralising potency are in progress. NIBSC has adopted a multidisciplinary approach to utilising animal tissue, neuronal cells and biochemical assays based on intracellular substrates with an aim to developing improved in vitro assays for testing of new generation of vaccines and antitoxins.

Improved methods for inactivation of botulinum toxins are explored as replacements for formaldehyde, used by manufacturers in production of toxoids since 1930’s.