We are pleased to participate in the first OncoLille Days congress from November 2th to 4th, 2022.

Inaugurated on October 12th, 2022, OncoLille Institute aims at developing an interdisciplinary research in oncology, including biology, physics, microtechnologies, chemistry, mathematics, bioinformatics, statisitcs, health technologies and social and human sciences. HCS Pharma collaborates with OncoLille though numerous projects including breast cancer resistance, dormancy and metastasis, dysbiosis involvement in colon cancer, co-alterations and resistance in lung cancer, etc. Indeed, our innovative 3D cell culture technology BIOMIMESYS® mimics the Extracellular Matrix (ECM): the composition and stiffness of BIOMIMESYS® matrix can be modulated to reproduce the pathological modifications of the tumoral microenvironment, allowing the development of complex and relevant in vitro models.

The aim of OncoLille Days congress is to address the fundamental issues of cancer biology from the role of resistance and plasticity in tumor heterogeneity, tumor behavior and therapy failure, by identifying molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways, the alterations in cell metabolism, and how we can improve targeted therapies and better approach and identify/stratify tumor lesions using artifical intelligence and computational systems. In this context, our project leader in in vitro pharmacology Veronique De Conto will present you her poster about the use of a Hyaluronic-Acid-based hydroscaffold™ to including the matricial tumoral microenvironment in 3D in vitro models. Please find the abstract below:

Including the matricial tumoral microenvironment in 3D in vitro models by using a Hyaluronic-Acid-based hydroscaffold™

Abstract: In oncology, 97% of drug candidates fail in clinical trials. This highlights a lack of relevance of preclinical models used upstream. Indeed, human in vitro models don’t consider the Tumoral Extracellular Matrix (TECM). However, more and more studies demonstrate that ECM composition and stiffness are modified in tumors and are linked to cancer initiation, progression, propagation, and drug resistances.

BIOMIMESYS® is a Hyaluronic Acid-based matrix grafted with structural and adhesion molecules, which mimics the ECM/TECM. It is chemically defined and its composition and stiffness can be modified to reproduce the organ-specificity of the ECM, or to mimic a pathological microenvironment in vitro.

We have demonstrated that the exposition of colon cancer cells cultured in BIOMIMESYS® Oncology matrix to an anti-proliferative drug showed a closer in vitro/in vivo correlation in the EC50 curve compared to 2D culture. Cancer cells can be advantageously grown in BIOMIMESYS® for several weeks in multiwell plates and in microfluidic chips for more advanced models. We also observed that modifications in the matrix composition and stiffness modify the cell behavior. Moreover, thanks to collaborations with academic laboratories, we demonstrated that BIOMIMESYS® allows to reproduce in vitro the behavior of cancerous cells in vivo, like mutation effects and metastasis propagation, and could be a relevant alternative to animal models. These results showed that the matricial microenvironment modifies the cell behavior in vitro and should be considered carefully in drug discovery. BIOMIMESYS® hydroscaffold™ is adapted to High Content Screening and represented a powerful tool to better select drug candidate.

Colon cancer cells growing in spheroid embedded in BIOMIMESYS® matrix

We are looking forward to meeting you at OncoLille Days to present you this poster and answer to all your questions! If you are unable to attend the congress, feel free to contact us for more information about BIOMIMESYS® technology.


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