PRECOS Launch Portfolio of Techniques and Models of Acquired Resistance

WASHINGTON - Nov. 1, 2013 - PRLog -- WASHINGTON D.C - Preclinical Oncology Services Limited (PRECOS), a leading pre-clinical research and development service provider with a specific focus on oncology, launched PRECOS Unique Models of Acquired resistance (PUMA) at the AACR annual meeting (Washington DC, April 6^th – 10^th). Derived from cell lines and proprietary PDX (Patient-Derived Xenograft) models, PUMA models provide a unique bespoke collection of clinically relevant and validated models of resistance, as well as the techniques and expertise to develop client specific models of acquired resistance to chemotherapeutics and targeted agents. Such models are a major advancement for pharmaceutical and biotech companies running oncology R&D programmes and will enhance success rates during the critical phase of transitioning from pre-clinical to clinical evaluation of new drug candidates.

The first available examples of PUMA models are in specific lung cancer subsets where PRECOS has previously developed and characterized a focused panel of PDX lung cancer models derived directly from Caucasian patient tumour material – PRECOS’ unique model atlas LION (Lung In ONcology). By repeatedly challenging relatively homogeneous cell line populations (CTX models) and heterogeneous tumours from PDX models across several passages, PRECOS is able to compare and contrast behaviour such as growth characteristics with gene expression and pathway analysis, response to chemotherapeutics and targeted agents. It is also possible to assess the effect of varying treatment regimens and dosing strategies including drug holidays or combination therapies. This allows panels of tumour subset specific models to be built which are able to mimic patients and their responses to treatment regimes in the clinic.

PRECOS is committed to further developing PUMA and is continuing to progress the techniques to provide customised services. This will enable its clients to build models based on the characteristics of diverse cancer cell types which can offer insights for designing optimal treatment strategies around their pre-clinical candidates prior to product development and clinical trials.

“As oncology R&D progresses, there is an increasingly critical need for more clinically-relevant predictive pre-clinical models in order to overcome the high attrition rates of agents entering clinical trials,” said Dr Martin Page, Scientific Consultant, PRECOS. “All new agents entering phase 1 clinical trials will be tested in cancer patients that have likely become resistant to a range of targeted and chemotherapeutic agents. PUMA is part of our PREdict platform, and offers PRECOS’ clients pre-clinical models that are authentic counterparts of the drug-resistant tumour subsets seen in the clinic, rather than drug-naive models. PRECOS’ latest portfolio offers specialist drug resistant pre-clinical models with responses of higher predictability with outcomes that can be seen during clinical testing.”

For further information please call +44 (0)870 166 6234, email enquiries@precos.co.uk or visit www.precos.co.uk

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About PRECOS Ltd

PRECOS Ltd. is a flexible pre-clinical research and development service with a specific focus on oncology, with an established track record in providing expert support to direct cancer drug development projects from concept to clinic. PRECOS evaluates the innovative cancer medicines of the future in patient-relevant models to ensure that pre-clinical efficacy assessment is predictive of how the drug is likely to behave in clinical trials with cancer patients. The PRECOS team of expert scientists assist in the selection and execution of appropriate analytical systems by a staged approach of in vitro studies, in vivo model development, subsequent in vivo mechanistic and therapeutic evaluations and post-study analyses, all conveyed with added value through specialist scientific interpretation of the data. PRECOS scientists apply cutting-edge technology and ideas to individual research programmes and delivers a flexible, tailored approach to all research objectives, whether a one-off service or a complete research programme.

PRECOS, an acronym of Pre-Clinical Oncology Services, was officially launched as a specialist business unit of the University of Nottingham (UK) in 2004. PRECOS evolved from the research expertise of the Division of Pre-clinical Oncology (formerly Academic Unit of Cancer Studies), which had successful collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotech companies in the UK, EU, US and Japan for over a decade. For further information: www.precos.co.uk

For further press information please contact: Sarah Morley - The Scott Partnership, 1 Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, CW4 8AA, United Kingdom. Tel: + 44 1477 539 539 Fax: +44 1477 539 540 E-mail: precos@scottpr.com