The spatial heterogeneity and dynamic changes within tumors pose significant challenges for cancer treatment. Developing each new anti-cancer drug requires millions of dollars in preclinical testing, yet the success rate in clinical trials remains just 10-20%, largely due to limitations in traditional in vitro models, which struggle to accurately assess drug efficacy and potential resistance.
To address this, a team led by Associate Professor Jen-Huang Huang at National Tsing Hua University, in collaboration with the start-up MedSelect Biotechnology, has developed the MedSelect preclinical drug evaluation platform. Using microfluidic technology, this platform successfully reconstructs the three-dimensional structure of tumor tissues and replicates the complex physiological environment within tumors. This innovative technology not only promises to significantly increase the success rate of new drug development but also accelerates advancements in personalized medicine. The MedSelect chip integrates 3D tissue culture, dynamic medium circulation, and a localized real-time analysis system, precisely simulating the tumor microenvironment. This provides researchers with a unique platform to gain deeper insights into tumor biology.
MedSelect Platform: Decoding Tumor Heterogeneity and Pioneering Precision Cancer Therapy
A key feature of the MedSelect platform is its high degree of automation. From tumor model establishment to dynamic culture, everything can be automated. Additionally, the advanced real-time analysis system in MedSelect automatically captures and analyzes large volumes of experimental data, offering researchers more comprehensive and objective results. MedSelect not only enhances the reproducibility of experiments but also lowers the barriers to resistance analysis, thereby improving the success rate of clinical trials.
The core advantage of this chip is its ability to closely mimic the real tumor microenvironment. To replicate the state of living tumors more accurately, the team transplanted live tumor samples into a proprietary chip design that simulates the diverse cellular environment, including oxygen gradients, uneven nutrient distribution, and immune cell infiltration. Through this chip, researchers can observe in real-time how drugs distribute, penetrate, and exert cytotoxic effects within tumor tissues. Furthermore, the chip can replicate the microenvironments of various tumor subtypes, enabling real-time spatial analysis of drug response and providing deeper insights for drug development. Researchers can perform quantitative analysis of drug responses across different tumor regions, revealing mechanisms of drug resistance and offering more precise assessments for new therapies, such as immunotherapy. This chip thus serves as a crucial technological support for precision medicine.
Jen-Huang Huang: MedSelect to Lead New Trends in Anti-Cancer Drug Development
Associate Professor Jen-Huang Huang of National Tsing Hua University stated that the debut of the MedSelect chip marks a new phase in anti-cancer drug development. The traditional drug development process is time-consuming, costly, and has a low success rate. The MedSelect chip can significantly shorten the drug development cycle, reduce costs, and improve the clinical success rate of new drugs. Professor Huang emphasized that the MedSelect chip is not only applicable to new drug development but also holds promise for exploring resistance mechanisms, identifying novel therapeutic targets, and crafting personalized treatment plans. Looking ahead, Professor Huang’s team will collaborate with MedSelect Biotechnology to develop chips targeting a broader range of indications, leading anti-cancer drug development into a new era.
Resource: 腫瘤微環境晶片問世 即時觀測藥物殺傷效果精準抗癌
