blog.repositive.io

Here we share what both biopharma and biotech specialists regard as key characteristics for identifying a good model, the predictive value of PDX models, and new methods to overcome some of the challenges of working with them. In this respect, molecular profiling can be important in providing information on mutations and chromosomal aberrations, such as duplication, deletion and translocation, many of which identify tumour suppressors or oncogenic drivers and potentially predict drugs likely to be efficacious in particular patient subgroups (Gao et al., 2015). Consequently, one of the challenges of using PDX models is that, over time, the models have a tendency to become less like the genotype and phenotype of the original patient tumour (Ben-David et al., 2017). However, a comprehensive set of models that reflects variability and oncogenic mutations is an extremely powerful pre-clinical in vivo tool for compound screening and patient subgroup stratification (e.g. 1 × 1 × 1 experimental design or PDX clinical trial or PCT, Gao et al., 2015).

Repositive organised a networking event, running in parallel with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting, 17th April, Marriott Marquis Chicago, USA. This event marks the first in a series of events for the Cancer Models Community initiative, based around our Cancer Models Platform

Based on a review of business models and the different types of companies that use open life sciences data, the report explores how open data (which is often made available free of charge, but nonetheless requires funding and maintenance) contribute to innovation and, in turn, generate revenue for businesses and benefit for users of the products and services that are created. It’s not only smaller businesses and consumers who benefit from accessing these ‘free’ resources: of the seven SMEs featured in the ELIXIR report, all boast larger companies among their users and benefactors. By describing the stories of companies within the life sciences with business models based entirely on accessing this public data and infrastructure, the ELIXIR report encourages a wider appreciation of the value of ‘free’ data: “ Our business model is based on connecting data producers with data consumers, to accelerate genomic research for patient benefit; our platform reduces the time researchers spend on data scouting, aggregation, and comparison, by providing a suite of products and services to meet researchers’ needs.

I was invited to take part in a panel discussion alongside individuals from some of the biggest names in genomics, including Amadeus Capital Partners, Cambridge Epigenetix, Congenica and Oxford Nanopore, to name just a few. The session, moderated by James Peach, Precision Medicine Lead at Medicines Discovery Catapult, discussed what start-ups need to do to get things off the ground; what entrepreneurs need to show to get investors to buy into their business; and how to grow a genetics company once it is established. Panellists shared their best piece of advice for individuals looking to start up a genetics company in the UK - here are my takeaways from the panel: Pierre Socha, Principal, Amadeus Capital Partners - Advice: Stay as much out of your comfort zone as possible, and surround yourself with people who disagree with you, there are solutions out there that you are not thinking of because you are so focussed on genomics. Tamsin Berry, Deputy Director, Industrial Strategy & Sector Support, Office for Life Sciences - Advice: take a look at the Life sciences: industrial strategy document and the Life sciences: Sector Deal.