They could use transgenic species, isogenic strains, new animal models, or other novel test systems…
Whatever system is used, testing protocols would maximize the amount of information gained from whole-animal toxicity testing.

Contrary to what antivivs such as Europeans for Medical Progress have claimed in the wake of the report, animal models will not be fully replaced in the foreseeable future and are in fact likely to be improved to overcome their current shortcomings.

Throughout the report, brief summary, and press release the NRC acknowledges:

(i) that it is the advent of new technology that makes this possible

toxicological evaluation of chemicals is poised to take advantage of the on-going revolution in biology and biotechnology. This revolution is making it increasingly possible to study the effects of chemicals [using non-animal methods]
- NRC: Report in brief, July 2007, p1

(ii) the techniques will take time to develop and validate

The report concludes that substantial benefits will result from achieving the vision but that it will require coordinated efforts and resources over the next several decades
- NRC: Report in brief, July 2007, p4

(iii) that although animal numbers will be reduced, they will not be completely eliminated for the foreseeable future

Over time, the need for traditional animal testing could be greatly reduced, and possibly even eliminated someday, says the report.  For the foreseeable future, however, targeted tests in animals would need to be used to complement the in vitro tests, because current methods cannot yet adequately mirror the metabolism of a whole animal.
- NRC press release, 12th June 2007

Unfortunately the magazine Chemistry World seems to have fallen for antiviv spin that all these techniques are already available and properly validated, and can fully replace animal use.  The opening sentence of their article attributes an opinion to the NRC that is not apparent from actually reading the report:

Tests on mice, rats, rabbits and guinea pigs to stop harmful chemicals reaching humans were once a necessary evil. But such checks now seem embarrassingly old-fashioned, according to a report on toxicity testing from the US National Research Council
- Chemistry World, ‘A viable alternative’, August 2007

Let’s hope that serious organisations like the Royal Society of Chemistry, which publishes Chemistry World, accurately reflect the subject under consideration in their future publications.