OrganoidXplore, developed by Crown Bioscience, is a large-scale organoid panel screen, executed every three months, in which clients can include their compounds for testing on organoid viability. It comprises a genetically characterized heterogeneous panel of tumor organoids and matching organoids derived from healthy epithelium from the same patients.
OrganoidXplore delivers biologically and clinically relevant data to support drug discovery decision making, including patient stratification and drug repurposing, biomarker development, and mechanism of action studies. An innovative aspect of the OrganoidXplore platform is its use of assay-ready organoid technology, which enables the screening of large panels and delivery of results with timelines equivalent to conventional 2D screens. This unique platform provides comprehensive insight into compound performance, developed to deliver results economically with remarkably short timelines.
The OrganoidXplore platform comprises 50 well-characterized organoid models covering seven cancer types: breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, melanoma, ovarian, and pancreatic. The genetic backgrounds and mutations represent diverse mechanisms of action and tumor types that are relevant for contemporary drug discovery. “Researchers can elect to screen compounds in the full panel, or in subsets based on mutation, indication or specific biomarker,” explains Hester Bange, Associate Director and Head of OrganoidXplore. “There is also the option for ultra-flexible panel design (20+ model selection) to meet specific research requirements. Moreover, because the organoids in the OrganoidXplore panel are derived from Crown Bioscience’s patient-derived xenograft models (PDXOs), there is the potential for direct in vivo translation in matching PDX models.”
OrganoidXplore is based on Crown Bioscience’s unique assay-ready technology and biobank establishment. Hubrecht organoid technology (HUB) protocols, for which Crown has an exclusive license for oncology services, ensure that the genetic and epigenetic makeup of the original tissue, including clinically relevant mutations, is preserved. The use of biobanked cryopreserved organoids enables the uncoupling of organoid expansion, which is asynchronous and can take months, from the relatively quick compound testing phase. This dramatically reduces overall assay timelines compared with the traditional methodology that uses freshly prepared organoids, as illustrated by recent posters presented at the AACR annual meeting and ANE international conference 2023. “Our data show that using assay-ready organoids for drug sensitivity testing shortens turnaround times to just six weeks from study initiation without compromising data quality,” reports Bange. “In addition, the significantly reduced logistical burden associated with using assay-ready organoids frees up researchers’ time to be spent on other tasks.”
Rigorous testing of cell viability in response to a range of standard-of-care oncology drugs shows high correlation between freshly prepared organoids and assay-ready organoids, demonstrating that the assay-ready cryopreservation methodology does not impair organoid biology or assay quality. Furthermore, the OrganoidXplore platform demonstrates consistent assay performance, with high Z-factors and low intra-and inter-plate variability indicating excellent experimental reproducibility between independent OrganoidXplore runs.
OrganoidXplore is a unique solution for oncology drug discovery that makes large-scale organoid panel screening accessible and economically viable for testing—even one single compound—with delivery of results in a matter of weeks. To learn more, visit crownbio.com/organoidxplore
Looking for other models not in the OrganoidXplore panel, or other readouts, such as those requiring high content imaging, genomics or proteomics? The technology can be applied to Crown’s full collection of over 600 organoids, for a truly custom panel, and using a broad range of endpoints. For Crown’s broader range of organoid services, visit https://www.crownbio.com/model-systems/in-vitro/organoids