Advancing oncology therapeutics development with 2D & 3D cell screening

The utilization of robust, high-throughput methods for screening in 3D models, including cell line-derived spheroids and patient-derived organoids, has the potential to revolutionize cancer therapy development, enhancing both the determination of mode of action and expanding indications, as well as improving the clinical relevance of therapeutic efficacy studies.

In this SelectScience webinar, now available on demand, Field Application Scientist Vicki Racicot highlights recent data generated by Horizon Discovery from 2D cell panel single-agent and combination screens and illustrates how these can complement CRISPR screening results to drive the validation of potential oncology-relevant therapeutic targets. Racicot also reveals how data generated from 3D cell panel screening approaches can enrich the understanding of oncology therapeutics efficacy in the context of more complex in vitro cellular models.

Think you’d benefit from this webinar but missed it? You can now watch it at any time that suits you and read on for highlights from the Q&A session.

Q: Can you explain the difference between the OncoSignature™ offering and a custom project?

VR: Our 2D OncoSignature™ service is a consortium-style screening platform where our clients can test either a single agent or combination activity of their therapeutic in either all or a subset of our OncoSignature™ cell line panel, which is designed as a set of 300 screening-optimized cell lines screened at a rate of 100 cell lines per month. With this service, our clients can measure the impact of their therapeutics on cell viability, measured with CellTiter-Glo normalized to a day zero read, at a single treatment time point between three and six days post dosing.

The entire screen will be completed within three months with the final analyzed data report delivered in the fourth month post project initiation. For clients that are looking for additional flexibility with regard to the cell lines for testing, assay format, treatment protocols, incubation conditions, or readouts that fall outside of the OncoSignature™ service scope, Horizon does support customized cell panel screening. This includes access to our expanded cell line collection, with more than 600 cell lines in total, the option to include Horizon's catalog isogenic cell line pairs, as well as the potential to onboard externally sourced cell lines from commercial sources or from the clients themselves in the project scope.

Q: I have very tight timelines to complete my screen. Is there any way to accelerate the three-month window?

VR: We can accelerate the standard timelines within the scope of a custom project. Our cell panel screening Project Manager will consult with clients that are requesting accelerated timelines and give them feedback around feasibility and cost impact on a case-by-case basis, prior to drafting a statement of work for these types of projects.

Q: What if I want to prioritize certain cell lines with the OncoSignature™ offering?

VR: This can definitely be done. However, this option would fall within the scope of a custom project. Our cell panel screening project manager would assist in defining more specific timelines on a case-by-case basis, prior to drafting a statement of work for projects that need this level of prioritization.

Q: How can we do proliferation studies of 3D spheroids?

VR: The way that we execute 3D spheroid proliferation assays is using an anchorage-independent growth model. We are seeding our cells in a 3D 4-well U-bottom ultra-low attachment plate; the spheroids form spontaneously, and then we treat those formed spheroids with compounds in a similar fashion to how we would run a 2D screen. At the end point, we use CellTiter-Glo 3D to assess the impact of the compound or therapeutic treatment on the growth of the spheroids.

Find out more about the 3D OncoSignature service >>

To learn how you can apply custom 2D and 3D screening approaches to your therapeutics discovery program, watch the full webinar here>>

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