Method for Making and Using Vascularized Tumor Spheroid to Predict Response to Antiangiogenesis Agents
Background: Angiogenesis drugs act to inhibit survival of newly formed blood vessels required for tumor growth and progression. These drugs have recently shown good activity in the clinic for breast, lung, colon and kidney cancer. However, these drugs can be toxic and even cause death. Only about half of patients benefit from this treatment approach. It would therefore be of value to be able to predict in advance if a patient has a better or worse probability of responding in order to avoid this treatment if the chances for success are low. Technology: UCi inventors have developed an in vitro system whereby cancer cells are grown as three dimensional spheres, or spheroids, and are then mixed with spheroids formed by tumor derived vascular endothelial cells. After a period of time the vascular cell spheroids merge with the tumor spheroids, moving into the center of the tumor spheroid. Anti-angiogenesis and anticancer drugs are then added to the co-cultured spheroids to determine their response to treatment. Cell death is assayed using several standard methods, including apoptosis and cell counting. Application: This assay system makes it possible to obtain patient biopsy material, grow spheroids of patient cancer specimens and co-culture them with our tumor derived vascular endothelial cells, followed by an assay of the vascular cell response to the anti-angiogenesis agents. Our data indicate that different tumors will differentially influence the response to the vascular cells to drug treatment, making it possible to individualize treatment selection.Type of Offer: Licensing
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