Source: Beyond Animal Research
For the first time in New Zealand, a new animal-free alternative to Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is being imported today by a charity, and will be trialled in a research laboratory, marking a major milestone for both science and animal welfare in Aotearoa.
Today (16/02/26) the first shipment of FRS Pioneer, an animal-free, serum-free alternative to FBS, is en route to Aotearoa as part of a New Zealand pilot study being organised by local charity Beyond Animal Research (BAR).
Foetal Bovine Serum is a widely used laboratory product made from the blood of unborn calves and has been a default ingredient in cell culture research globally for decades. Despite growing ethical and scientific concerns, New Zealand laboratories have not previously had access to such a cost-effective, innovative, trial-ready alternative.
That changes from today.
“This is the incredible moment where change for animals used for science happens” says Tara Jackson, co-founder of Beyond Animal Research.
“For the first time, New Zealand researchers can test this new, genuine alternative to foetal bovine serum in their own labs. This shipment represents years of scientific innovation – and the beginning of a new chapter for how research can be done in Aotearoa.”
The shipment marks the official start of BAR’s New Zealand pilot study, which will support researchers to trial FRS Pioneer in research and teaching settings, document outcomes, and build local evidence to support wider uptake of animal-free methods, not just here in NZ but globally.
FRS Pioneer was developed by Dr Katie Bashant Day, Chief Scientist at Media City Scientific, in response to long-standing limitations of animal-derived serums, including ethical concerns, batch-to-batch variability, contamination risk, and supply instability.
“Foetal bovine serum is inconsistent by nature – every batch is different because every animal is different,” says Dr. Day.
“Animal-free alternatives like FRS Pioneer are designed to be more consistent, more reproducible, and better aligned with where modern science is heading. Seeing this product arrive in New Zealand for real-world trials is incredibly exciting.”
New Zealand is also a producer and exporter of foetal bovine serum, with pregnant cows sent to slaughter and blood collected from their unborn calves for use in laboratories domestically and overseas. BAR says the pilot study represents an opportunity for New Zealand to lead a transition away from this practice.
“New Zealand has the chance to be part of a global solution, not just the supply chain,” says Jackson.
“This pilot is about removing the practical barriers that stop researcher and their labs from changing – access, cost, logistics, and confidence – and replacing them with real, local evidence.”
The first researchers participating in the pilot are based at Victoria University of Wellington, with further institutions expected to join as the study progresses.
A spokesperson from Victoria University of Wellington says the pilot reflects growing interest within the research community in more ethical and scientifically robust tools.
“Researchers are increasingly aware of the limitations of animal-derived products,” the spokesperson says.
“Being able to trial an animal-free alternative in a New Zealand context is a valuable opportunity to assess both scientific performance and practical feasibility.”
BAR says the pilot is the first step in a longer-term goal to make the routine use and production of foetal bovine serum in New Zealand unnecessary and therefore obsolete.
“This single shipment matters,” says Jackson.
“But what matters more is what it enables – better science, greater transparency, and real progress for animals.”
Notes
- Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is produced from the blood of unborn calves after pregnant cows are slaughtered.
- Globally, around 800,000 litres of FBS are produced each year. Because only a small amount comes from each calf, that volume likely represents the deaths of around one to two million unborn calves worldwide annually.
- FBS from NZ is manufactured (including slaughtered) in NZ and exported internationally.
- Through an Official Information Act request to MPI, we confirmed that between January and November 2025, NZ exported approximately 29,000 kilograms of foetal bovine serum (FBS). Based on industry yield estimates, this volume is likely to have come from the blood of tens of thousands of unborn calves – conservatively between 28,000 and 83,000 foetuses in 2025 alone.
- FBS is widely used for cell culture e.g. studying human diseases, discovering new medicines, producing vaccines and cell therapies, freezing and storing cells for future experiments
- Animal-free, serum-free alternatives can reduce ethical harm and improve scientific consistency and reproducibility.
- This is the first import of FRS Pioneer into New Zealand.
