PRECOS Highlights Latest Advances in PDX Modelling for Oncology Drug Discovery to Increase Effectiveness of Drugs for Cancer Patients
LOUGHBOROUGH, UK, 12th September 2013 - Preclinical Oncology Services Limited (PRECOS), a leading pre-clinical research and development service provider with a specific focus on oncology, today announced the availability of its co-presentation with Crown Bioscience delivered at the Tumor Models Boston 2013 meeting. The presentation highlights the application of human surrogate trials to oncology drug discovery and how a comprehensive panel of PDX (Patient-Derived Xenograft) models of cancer can help better predict the effectiveness of drugs in clinical trials. Historically the oncology drug development process is slow, expensive, inefficient and ultimately unsustainable. PRECOS and Crown Bioscience recognise the need to bring clinical decision-making earlier into the process.
Dr Aaron Cranston, Head of in vivo services, PRECOS Ltd comments, “Translating oncology drug discovery into improved patient outcome is the fundamental mission for both PRECOS and Crown Biosciences. By using human surrogate trials (HuTrials®) it is possible to identify biomarker signatures of patient responders and non-responders following treatment with targeted agents, reduce the attrition rate of new chemical entities (NCEs) in the clinic, accelerating drug development and improve chances of translational success.”
By focusing on developing tumor models that are truly representative of patient outcomes, PRECOS and Crown Biosciences enable drug developers to overcome the challenges faced in preclinical oncology when testing new cancer drugs. Problems in oncology drug development include a failure to consistently deliver highly effective drugs to patients, with many new drugs providing incremental benefit at non-incremental costs. The ultimate goal in the oncology community is effective drug performance in the clinic and PDX models are superior in predicting efficacy and mimicking tumour activity in patients.
Also known as tumor graft models, PDXs are based on the transfer of primary tumors directly from the patient into an immunodeficient mouse. PRECOS presented alongside its parent company Crown Bioscience on the latest developments in PDX modelling, highlighting the scale and skill of Crown Bioscience’s resources to maintain hundreds of in vivo PDX models in simultaneous passage ready for screening. The presentation illustrates how PDX are being used today to discover biomarkers and run human surrogate trials using the world’s most comprehensive commercially available PDX collection. The presentation is available to download via www.precos.co.uk/publications/ or email precos@scottpr.com to request a copy.
Dr Cranston continues, “PRECOS is committed to developing improved preclinical models and providing researchers with the very best oncology tools for superior predictions, which will ultimately lead to enhanced patient response. Molecular profiling and characterization underpins the models and the innovative approaches developed by PRECOS enable scientists to fast-track new agents into the clinic.”
Tumor Models 2013 was hosted in Boston from 23rd – 25th July. The meeting was attended by international researchers interested in optimising models, exploring alternatives and predicting efficacy for enhanced clinical performance. Speakers included leading scientists from companies such as EMD Serono, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Novartis, Merck and Roche.
For further information and to discuss how PRECOS can help you make a step change in your discovery process, please call +44 (0)870 166 6234, email enquiries@precos.co.uk or visit www.precos.co.uk.
About PRECOS Ltd (A Crown Bioscience Company)
PRECOS Ltd. is a flexible pre-clinical research and development service with a specific focus on oncology, with an established track record in providing expert support to direct cancer drug development projects from concept to clinic. PRECOS evaluates the innovative cancer medicines of the future in patient-relevant models to ensure that pre-clinical efficacy assessment is predictive of how the drug is likely to behave in clinical trials with cancer patients. The PRECOS team of expert scientists assist in the selection and execution of appropriate analytical systems by a staged approach of in vitro studies, in vivo model development, subsequent in vivo mechanistic and therapeutic evaluations and post-study analyses, all conveyed with added value through specialist scientific interpretation of the data. PRECOS scientists apply cutting-edge technology and ideas to individual research programmes and delivers a flexible, tailored approach to all research objectives, whether a one-off service or a complete research programme.
PRECOS, an acronym of Pre-Clinical Oncology Services, was officially launched as a specialist business unit of the University of Nottingham (UK) in 2004, and was acquired in 2013 by Crown Bioscience, Inc. as a wholly owned subsidiary. PRECOS evolved from the research expertise of the Division of Pre-clinical Oncology (formerly Academic Unit of Cancer Studies), which had successful collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotech companies in the UK, EU, US and Japan for over a decade. For further information please visit our website: www.precos.co.uk or contact us at enquiries@precos.co.uk.
For further press information please contact: Sarah Morley - The Scott Partnership, 1 Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, CW4 8AA, United Kingdom. Tel: + 44 1477 539 539 Fax: +44 1477 539 540 E-mail: precos@scottpr.com
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