Oncosyne has expanded its functional precision oncology programme into esophageal cancer, with the first patients now recruited and patient-derived tumoroids successfully growing in the laboratory.
The milestone is part of the ExPDT study and a collaboration with the surgical team of Dr. Jan Johansson and Dr. Oscar Åkesson at Skåne University Hospital. The study aims to establish the clinical and diagnostic framework for using drug screening of patient-derived tumoroids to increase therapeutic opportunities for patients with esophageal cancer, a disease with high unmet medical need.
Building on Oncosyne’s experience in colorectal and pancreatic cancer, the programme extends the use of patient-derived functional models to another gastrointestinal cancer indication. By studying treatment response directly in models derived from individual patient tumours, the programme aims to generate clinically relevant insights into drug sensitivity and resistance.
The next phase will focus on expanding the esophageal cancer tumoroid biobank and characterising the pharmacological landscape of the disease, with the longer-term goal of developing a predictive in vitro diagnostic test.
The programme represents another step in Oncosyne’s expansion of functional precision oncology across gastrointestinal cancers and strengthens the foundation for both translational research and future precision medicine.
Oncosyne thanks Dr. Jan Johansson, Dr. Oscar Åkesson and the clinical team at Skåne University Hospital for their collaboration, and especially the patients participating in the study whose contribution makes this research possible.