Summary
Published in European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (2023), this peer-reviewed study used 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds to form scaffold-free 3D microtissues. Full citation: Domingues, Mariana, et al. Mimicking 3D breast tumor-stromal interactions to screen novel cancer therapeutics
Mimicking 3D breast tumor-stromal interactions to screen novel cancer therapeutics
Research Overview
Most 3D breast tumor models used in drug screening contain only tumor cells, omitting the tumor-associated macrophages and fibroblasts that drive progression and therapy resistance — cells that are themselves promising therapeutic targets.
This study addressed the unmet preclinical need by developing an innovative 3D model incorporating those stromal players, aiming to provide consistent, predictive responses about the in vivo efficacy of novel therapeutics targeting the breast tumor microenvironment rather than the tumor cells alone.
Key Discoveries
- 3D breast tumor model incorporates tumor-associated macrophages and fibroblasts
- Targets the stromal cells linked to tumor progression and therapy resistance
- Designed to give more predictive preclinical readouts for microenvironment-directed therapies
