High-throughput precision medicine screening for solid tumors

Summary
The current technology provides a unique ex vivo biopsy culture method for improved and personalized screening of multiple drug combinations for solid tumors.

Technology Overview
Precision medicine allows for cancer therapies to be tailored to individual tumor characteristics, but current screening methods often lack the capacity to 1) capture the full tumor microenvironment and/or 2) allow for the testing of multiple drugs and drug combinations. The current technology provides a novel method for precision medicine screening of solid tumors to better predict effective tumor therapies and improve patient care. 

Features of the method include:

• Tumor biopsy based ex vivo culture system that maintains the individual tumor microenvironment and immune signaling to better predict individual tumor responsiveness.
• Implantation of a drug-delivery device within the biopsy culture that allows for the administration of multiple drugs and/or drug combination therapies to increase screening efficiency.
• Post-drug delivery analysis of gene and protein expression for validation of tumor responsiveness.
• Proof-of-concept validation studies in a mouse model of breast cancer.

Publication
Tatarova, Z. et al. “A multiplex implantable microdevice assay identifies synergistic combinations of cancer immunotherapies and conventional drugs.” Nat Biotechnol (2022). Link 

Licensing Opportunity
This technology is available for licensing.