Tumor Model Compendium provides easy access to model data for designing in vitro and in vivo oncology studies.

There is growing interest in in vitro oncology for early toxicity and patient identification because it offers researchers a rapid and cost-effective way to test the efficacy of compounds, Charles River Laboratories (CRL) has been investing it its capabilities in this area. In 2017, the company established partnerships with OcellO and InSphero. It also expanded immunology contract research services with the acquisition of KWS BioTest. Very recently CRL announced that it is purchasing non-clinical CRO MPI Research for $800 million.

Separately, the company has developed an online Compendium of its tumor models that allows them to search by features of interest, including specific histology or molecular properties. Combination searches across several properties are also possible, making the design of in vitro and in vivo oncology studies much more efficient. The idea behind the Tumor Model Compendium is to make the company’s tumor models more easily accessible through an online database. This tool “puts the power of our data in the hands of scientists,” according to Executive Director for Discovery Oncology Aidan Synnott.

The Compendium includes tumor models from a range of tumor subtypes for in vivo and in vitro oncology research: patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), cell-line-derived xenografts (CDXs) and syngeneic models. It also includes human leukocyte antigen (HLA) subtyping data, which researchers use to understand and control immune system variability. 

Data can be analyzed/visualized per molecular features or with respect to tumor types and can be directly downloaded/extracted.