VAScularised Tumour Organoids on a chip with human placenta vessels as a preclinical model for anticancer therapies.

Introduction

VASTO Proof of Concept aims to develop and test an innovative microfluidic-based platform, which allows evaluating the efficacy of different cell immunotherapy strategies against solid tumours. For this aim, we propose to microfabricate 3D solid tumour organoids with an aberrant microvascular network provided from the explant of human vessels.

Unique Approach

Although there are other different vessel-on-a-chip and/or microvascular network formation approaches that use in vitro cell monolayers, we are not aware of any solution covering a human ex vivo blood vessel platform as it is proposed here. Therefore, we aim to recreate the existing mechano-chemical barriers characteristics of the tumour microenvironment in solid tumours with this novel ex vivo platform.

Methodology

With this technology, we can define a method to evaluate the efficacy of different immunotherapy-based strategies. Specifically, we focus on studying the effectiveness of different Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies in solid tumours. Hence, the development of VASTO harbours the interest of CAR-T manufacturers to test these cell therapies against solid tumours.

Assessment Capabilities

We will be able to assess:

1. CAR-T cell vascular extravasation
2. Penetration into solid tumours
3. CAR-T efficiency for tumour elimination

Broader Applications

In addition to its applicability to liver cancer, the acquired knowledge in VASTO could also be extrapolated to any other kind of tumours. Furthermore, it could contribute to the development of an ex vivo platform for research in regenerative processes by incorporating organoids from healthy donors, instead of malignant cells, and promoting functional vasculature, instead of aberrant one.

Market Potential

Therefore, this human ex vivo platform will launch a new product to the market that is very attractive for clinical labs and companies. It aims to reduce animal experiments and provide a more reliable alternative for testing different therapies against tumours, approaching a more personalized patient-like model.