AMSBIO have supplied custom Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T products to the University of Strathclyde (UoS) in Glasgow, UK, and ScreenIn3D Ltd, allowing them to perform novel immune-oncology assays in 3D microfluidic cancer models.

CAR-T cells are genetically modified T-cells used to find and kill cancer cells by targeting specific cancer-associated proteins, or antigens. CAR-T cell therapy is highly effective against haematological malignancies, but faces challenges in solid tumors due to the immunosuppressive effects of the tumor microenvironment. Often, combination therapies, such chemotherapy and checkpoint blockage, are used with CAR-T to improve efficacy.

To investigate CAR-T efficacy, their off-target cytotoxicity and synergistic effects when used in combination assays, UoS and ScreenIn3D researchers developed novel miniaturized screening assays that use very small amounts of CAR-T cells in 3D complex in vitro models of solid tumors on a chip.

This exciting technological advance by UoS and ScreenIn3D researchers is described in detail in a recently published technical article—see https://bit.ly/3iASDy0