OncoCilAir™: A 3D human in vitro model for lung cancer research

In this special webinar, our guest presenter Samuel Constant Ph.D., Co-founder, CEO for OncoTheis will review: - Novel in vitro tests for modelling lung cancer - A model that allows long term monitoring of toxicity or efficacy on respiratory tract - How OncoCilAir™ is a 3D human airway epithelium with tumors reconstituted in vitro Abstract: With more than 1 million deaths worldwide per year, lung cancer remains an area of unmet needs. Realistic human 3D models are required to improve preclinical predictivity. To that end, OncoTheis has engineered a novel in vitro lung cancer model, OncoCilAir™, which combines a functional reconstituted human airway epithelium, human lung fibroblasts and lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Because of its unique lifespan (>3 month) and its dual composition (healthy and cancerous human tissues), OncoCilAir™ allows for the concurrent testing of the efficacy of drug candidates against malignant cells and their non-toxicity against healthy tissues. Accordingly, a first proof of concept study performed on a panel of anti-cancer drugs including the investigational drugs selumetinib and Mekinist® demonstrated that OncoCilAir™ carrying the KRASG12S mutation showed responsiveness in agreement with first clinical reported results, validating this unique tissue model as a predictive tool for anticancer drug efficacy evaluation. OncoTheis has now extended the model to EGFR mutations. Results showed that OncoCilAir™ EGFRdel19 is sensitive to Tarceva® and Iressa® treatments and provides a useful model to decipher in vitro mechanisms of resistance.