Abstract 651: 3D-bioprinted cancer models for target discovery, drug development, and personalized therapy

Abstract Many drugs show promising results in laboratory research, but eventually fail in clinical trials. We hypothesize that one main reason for this translational gap is that the cancer models used are inadequate. Most models lack the complex tumor-stromal cell interactions with their microenvironment which are required for tumor progression. Conventional 2D cultures, where cells grow on rigid plastic plates mainly as mono-cultures of a single type of cells, are not able to recapitulate the complex settings of such interactions. Therefore, there is a need to develop a 3D model that better mimics the tumor microenvironment. Hence, we developed a vascularized, hydrogel-based 3D-bioprinted tumor model consisting of patient-derived tumor and microenvironmental cells. Our 3D-bioprinted models are based on a library of hydrogels that we developed as scaffolds for different tumor types, designed according to the mechanical properties of the tissue/organ of origin. The patient-derived models consist of cells from a biopsy, constructed based on CT/MRI scans, and include functional vessels that allow serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to flow when connected to a pump. Using this unique model platform, we identified P-selectin as a novel immune checkpoint in the brain regulating cancer-microglia-tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) interactions. Moreover, we are currently validating our 3D platform for its ability to mimic patient-specific tumors and their microenvironment in order to predict patient response to different treatments (such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies). Hence, we are currently conducting an 80-patient “basket” clinical trial testing different treatments on patient samples to validate the ability of our model to predict patient outcomes covering 7 different cancer types. These unique 3D-bioprinted models have the potential to facilitate target discovery and drug development, as well as to serve as a reliable system for precision medicine. Citation Format: Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, Anne Krinsky, Anshika Katyal, Opal Avramoff, Eilam Yeini, Lena Neufeld, Sharon Halparin, Ronnie Frommer-Shapira. 3D-bioprinted cancer models for target discovery, drug development, and personalized therapy abstract. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts) ; 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84 (6Suppl): Abstract nr 651.