Invitrocue Ltd (ASX:IVQ) has signed a new technology development agreement with the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (SIBCB) for the development of new breast cancer models for its proprietary Onco-PDO test.
The Onco-PDO technology enables patient-derived cancer cells (organoids) to be cultured in laboratories for testing against a panel of drugs to support clinical decision making for individual patients.
Under the agreement, professor Arial Zeng, an expert in stem cells during mammary development and breast cancer, will help Invitrocue to develop and optimise the protocols for the in vitro culture, propagation and expansion of patient-derived organoids (PDOs) from breast cancer patients with multiple breast cancer subtypes, including ER+, PR+, HER2+ and TNBC.
The intellectual property (IP) will be jointly owned by both parties and Invitrocue will be granted global commercialisation rights to any IP developed under the agreement.
We are very pleased to announce the collaboration with the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (SIBCB). Through this collaboration, we will work closely with Professor Arial Zeng, a renowned scientist in breast cancer organoid biology. https://t.co/QGxA67Ez8k
— Invitrocue (@Invitrocue) January 24, 2019
Invitrocue executive chairman Dr. Steven Fang said: “Whilst we already offer breast cancer testing with Onco-PDOTM, this collaboration agreement is an important advancement of our technology to expand into multiple subtypes of the world’s leading cancer for women.
“Professor Arial Zeng is a world-renowned scientist in breast cancer organoid biology, and we look forward to working closely with her.
“This collaboration will enable us to provide even more precise and personalised data for breast cancer patients, leveraging our evidence-based approach to inform treatment pathways and improve patient outcomes.”