Patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) models are a translational research tool created by implanting surgically removed tumor fragments into immunodeficient mice. PDX models can preserve the cellular, histopathological structures and genomic profiles of the original tumors. In addition, PDX models show parallel therapeutic responses to clinical data in patients from whom the models derived. As a result, they are used for preclinical drug evaluation, biomarker identification, biological studies and personalized medicine strategies.
In October, Weill Cornell Medicine and Champions Oncology signed a licensing agreement allowing Champions Oncology to distribute and commercialize Weill Cornell Medicine’s extensive bank of hematological PDX models, generated by Dr. Giorgio Inghirami, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and a member of the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine and Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center. Dr. Inghirami and his team have developed multiple PDX models for leukemias and lymphomas, including those that acquired drug resistance. Under the licensing agreement, Champions Oncology has secured the rights to distribute these models to academic institutions and other laboratories on a worldwide basis.
This licensing agreement reflects the on-going efforts by the Center for Technology Licensing (CTL) at Weill Cornell Medicine to make a positive impact on scientific research with Weill Cornell innovations. It also resulted from a long-standing collaborative relationship between our institution and Champions Oncology, a contract research organization that specializes in offering services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies using PDX models they license.
Dr. Inghirami’s hematological PDX models are high in demand, and he is constantly contacted by other companies and researchers at other academic institutions to produce them. To save him time and give the research community more efficient access to Dr. Inghirami’s PDX models, CTL put his models into a repository and marketed the portfolio of PDX. Champions Oncology was among the collaborators that CTL approached because they already had an existing relationship stemming from a prior PDX license agreement that was executed in 2020. The current agreement, which amended the prior one, adds a new line of PDX models to Champions Oncology’s collections.
“We are thrilled to be chosen to collaborate with Weill Cornell Medicine,” said Dr. Ronnie Morris, chief executive officer at Champions Oncology. “Dr. Inghirami is globally renowned for his expertise in generating hematological PDX models. The addition of these models to our portfolio will further solidify our position as a leader in the heme-oncology field. Our extensive experience in commercializing clinically relevant, pre-treated hematological models will ensure rapid and scalable access to these unique PDXs for both our biopharma partners and academic institutions.”
“This agreement with Champions Oncology is another example of Enterprise Innovation’s dedication to bringing the best of our biomedical innovations to market,” said Dr. Lisa Placanica, senior managing director of the Center for Technology Licensing at Weill Cornell Medicine. “More importantly, it also showcases the diversity of our technology portfolio beyond traditional therapeutics and medical devices, and demonstrates the value of research tool assets. This collaboration with Champions Oncology will allow wide dissemination of Dr. Inghirami’s PDX models to support critical translational research conducted by both the academic and industry communities.”
Many Weill Cornell Medicine physicians and scientists maintain relationships and collaborate with external organizations to foster scientific innovation and provide expert guidance. The institution makes these disclosures public to ensure transparency. For this information, please see the profile for Dr. Inghirami.