3D In Vitro

As an industrial leader in therapeutic antibody development, complex organic synthesis, as well as bio-conjugates preparation and analysis, Creative Biolabs has been active in exploring new technologies and innovated ideas to promote the field of targeted immunotherapies. Using our advanced 3D cell culture platform, Creative Biolabs is proud to present services for characterizing your candidate drugs in a three-dimensionally cultured cell cluster mimicking solid tumors. These services include ADC targeting profile, ADC tumor penetration, and ADC in vitro efficacy.

A graphical representation of the morphology of the 3D-cultured cell clusters.

Cancer is one of the major human chronic diseases with high fatality rates. While numerous therapeutic approaches have been invented and developed, their effects are far from satisfactory. Antibody-directed targeted therapies, especially antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), are regarded as “next-generation” anti-cancer therapies with higher tumor specificity and lower cytotoxicity comparing to conventional chemo-radiation-therapies.

An ADC is forged by the chemical conjugation of a monoclonal antibody with cytotoxic drugs via small chemical linkers. They function by targeted delivery of the toxins to the tumor sites, internalized via receptor mediated endocytosis, and releasing the toxins (payloads) through the lysosomal degradation of the linker or in some cases, the whole antibody.

Conventional evaluation of the in vitro efficacy of an ADC is usually performed using cells cultured on a flat-bottom matrix (or 2-deminsional cell cultures, 2D cell cultures). This is a valid approach against hematological malignancies due to their “fluid-like” nature where a single cell layer can reflect the changes in those tumor models. However, in case of solid tumors, the efficacy evaluation solely based on the 2D cultured cells can be incomplete or sometimes, misleading. Solid tumors are complex entities comprised of multiple cell layers. For ADCs, they are delivered to the tumor site via blood circulation and then attached to the “surface” layers. Depending on the nature of the antibody (size, binding affinity, internalization kinetics…), the ADC can target the surface layers alone or they can penetrate inside the solid tumor tissue and target the inner portion of a tumor. The targeting profiles and the penetration efficiency of an ADC are unique in solid tumors. These parameters are also crucial in the determination of ADC efficacy against solid tumors.

Since flat 2D cultured cells are inadequate for providing information such as targeting profile and penetration efficiency, Creative Biolabs has adopted and developed 3D cultured cell clusters to mimic solid tumor and facilitate the study of ADC targeting, penetration, and eventually, evaluate their in vitro efficacy against solid tumors. We are committed to bridge the gap between the ADC in vitro and in vivo efficacy analysis of ADCs against solid tumors and provide a more accurate picture of the ADC function profile.

Please visit “3D cell culture platform” for more detailed information about this technology and contact us for more information and a detailed quote.