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  High throughput phenotyping and drug discovery using the TumorGraft3D co-culture platform and flow cytometry  

Traditional preclinical models often fall short in predicting clinical outcomes due to limited physiological relevance and lack of immune-tumor interactions. The emergence of 3D culture systems and immune co-culture approaches offers a more representative platform for evaluating anti-cancer therapeutics. However, analyzing these complex systems at scale requires robust, high-throughput methodologies.

Champions Oncology has developed a high-throughput flow cytometry (FlowHT) platform integrated with its TumorGraft3D (CTG3D) co-culture system, derived from patient-matched, clinically annotated PDX models, for multiparametric phenotyping and drug screening.

• The FlowHT assay reliably detects surface and intracellular markers, demonstrating high concordance in phenotypic profiles between original PDX tumors and 3D-cultured CTG3D models across cancer types such as colon, breast, and lung.

• In both monoculture and immune co-culture formats, the assay quantifies responses to standard-of-care drugs and immune-mediated tumor killing. It can detect T cell activation (CD69), immune checkpoint expression (PD-1, TIM-3, CTLA-4), and apoptosis markers following immune or drug challenge.

• This platform enables rapid screening of immuno-oncology agents for T cell activation, ADCC activity, reversal of T cell exhaustion, and tumor cell killing, while also allowing for endpoint analyses such as cytokine profiling or exosome studies, providing a powerful, translational tool for IO drug development.