Clinical standards of care in preclinical models of multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a hematological malignancy that arises from antibody-producing plasma cells that is rarely detected prior to symptomatic disease onset. Multiple myeloma was the cause of nearly 100,000 deaths worldwide in 20181 and it is estimated that in 2021, approximately 35,000 new cases of multiple myeloma will be diagnosed and cause 12,500 deaths United States2.

Luciferase-labeled cell lines: a valuable tool for oncology studies

Luciferases are oxidative enzymes that emit light in the presence of a substrate (D-luciferin) within a living organism, a process known as bioluminescence. The gene for the most common luciferases comes from the family of light producing enzymes called firefly luciferases1, 2.

Labcorp chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell generation service

Immunotherapy represents the state-of-the-art in cancer treatment. By harnessing the exquisite specificity of the immune system, modern immunotherapies can be designed to target a cancerous cell type while avoiding healthy tissue. Kymriah™ from Novartis and Yescarta™ produced by Kite/Gilead are FDA-approved cellular immunotherapies for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diffuse large B cell lymphoma respectively.

Cloudman S91 – a responsive syngeneic melanoma model

Of all the skin cancer types, melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and while accounting for only about 1% of skin cancer cases, it is associated with the highest mortality1. Melanoma begins in melanocytes of the skin's epidermis, but once it becomes invasive into the skin or other parts of the body, it is more difficult to treat and can be fatal.

Determining preclinical CAR T-cell persistence by flow cytometry

During preclinical research and development, CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell therapies are often investigated using a mouse as the test subject. In this setting, immunocompromised mice carry a tumor burden of human origin and are dosed with allogeneic human CAR T cells. The adoptively transferred cells are directed by the engineered chimeric antigen receptor to bind to a surface antigen on a tumor cell (CD19 for example).

Combination therapies in oncology: The future of CAR T cell therapy for solid tumors?

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy has demonstrated potentially curative therapeutic efficacies in patients with lymphoma and leukemia.1 This success in hematologic malignancies led to the application of CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors.

Measuring human cytokines in mouse samples in the discovery setting: Understanding immunoassay technology and managing the risk

Mouse models are commonly used in a variety of cancer-related investigations where they host human cells (1). While (immunocompromised) mouse models do have their pros and cons, the mouse remains a commonly utilized test system in preclinical oncology.

Analysis of the tumor-infiltrating myeloid subsets with high dimensional flow cytometry using the Expanded CompMyeloid™ panel

Labcorp Drug Development preclinical oncology offers the new mouse Expanded CompMyeloid™ panel, which provides deep immunophenotypic analysis into myeloid subsets known to regulate the tumor immune response.

Preclinical oncology imaging capabilities and expertise

Rapid non-invasive imaging technologies prove invaluable in diagnosing cancer and monitoring response to therapies. Many, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray computed tomography (CT), are an essential part of the clinical practice. In preclinical development, the widespread use of mouse models of disease for cancer requires the ability to image mouse models non-invasively to screen for potential drug targets, monitor disease development and therapeutic efficacy, and to detect biomarkers of drug efficacy quickly and in real time.1,2

NCI-H1975-Luc and PC-9-Luc: two models for evaluating brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer frequently metastasizes to other parts of the body. One of the most dangerous areas it can travel to is the brain, significantly reducing life expectancy. Unfortunately, these metastases are common. Up to 7% of people already have cancer cells in the brain when they are first diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and 20% to 40% of those with NSCLC will develop this complication during disease progression. Brain metastases occur in stage 4 lung cancer. Stage 4 lung cancer has a poor prognosis, with life expectancy usually being under a year1.