A Novel TumorGraft3D immune co-culture platform for high throughput immune-oncology screening

The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) plays a crucial role in immunotherapy responses, requiring advanced preclinical models that replicate patient-specific tumor-immune interactions. While patient-derived organoid technology has overcome limitations of 2D methods, it still lacks functional immune components for testing immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) effectively. Champions Oncology has developed the TumorGraft3D co-culture platform, combining patient-derived xenograft (PDX) organoids with matching immune cells. This innovative platform allows for high-throughput screening of immune-targeting agents, including ICIs, and offers insights into immune cell infiltration and tumor cytotoxicity.

• Champions’ TumorGraft3D platform offers a variety of highly characterized models of human cancer for use in co-culture assays.  TumorGraft3D co-culture assay can be performed with a variety of immune cell sources including PBMCs, NK cells, and autologous TILs. 
• Data acquired with the TumorGraft3D co-culture assay with CRC model CTG3D-3631 demonstrate that test agent-induced changes in organoid volume, immune cell infiltration, and dead cells can be quantified in the 3D space by analysis of many confocal images. 
• Ongoing improvements to the TumorGraft3D co-culture platform include the addition of new endpoints for deeper quantification capability and co-culturing tumor cells with more specific cell types such as monocytes, macrophages, etc.