This article and associated images are based on a poster originally authored by Gemma Everitt, Monica Patel, Rhys Fox, Ellisha Cookson, Farhan Hussain, Haoran Tang, Navin Rathna Kumar, Jonathan Orme, Poppy Winlow, Lewis Ward, James Robinson, and Ultan McDermott and presented at ELRIG Drug Discovery 2026 in affiliation with Global Cell Bank, Mechanistic Biology and Profiling and Oncology R&D.
This poster is being hosted on this website in its raw form, without modifications. It has not undergone peer review but has been reviewed to meet AZoNetwork's editorial quality standards. The information contained is for informational purposes only and should not be considered validated by independent peer assessment.
Abstract
Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) offer physiologically relevant models that can bridge the translational gap between preclinical research and patient outcomes. To increase the accessibility of these models and enable their routine use across drug discovery programs, the Global Cell Bank has established an integrated organoid capability encompassing model acquisition, in-house derivation, banking, quality control, assay development and high-throughput screening.
This initiative has expanded the availability of organoid models from multiple tissue types, including lung, pancreatic, colorectal, gastric and prostate cancers, while introducing scalable workflows for culture, cryopreservation and distribution.
A key component of this capability has been the development of patient-derived lung tumor organoids through a multi-year collaboration with the Royal Papworth Hospital. Matched normal and tumor tissue samples have been processed under optimized derivation and culture conditions to generate clinically relevant models that represent patient disease biology.
These models have been combined with genomic characterization and banking strategies to improve long-term accessibility for research teams.
In parallel, organoid screening workflows have been established through assay miniaturization, assay-ready cryopreserved formats, automation, and multiparametric profiling approaches. These capabilities support responder-driven compound profiling, combination screening, and drug-resistance investigations.
As an example, pancreatic cancer organoid models have been used to explore conditioning strategies for FOLFIRINOX resistance, while lung cancer organoids are supporting programs focused on mechanisms of acquired therapeutic resistance.
Together, these developments demonstrate how a coordinated organoid capability can provide scalable access to clinically relevant patient-derived models, supporting target discovery, translational biology, drug screening, and the identification of safer and more effective medicines for patients.
Patient-derived organoids (PDOs)
Image Credit: Image courtesy of Gemma Everitt et al., in partnership with ELRIG (UK) Ltd.
Image Credit: Image courtesy of Gemma Everitt et al., in partnership with ELRIG (UK) Ltd.
Royal Papworth Hospital collaboration and lung tumor organoid project
Workflow 2021–24
Image Credit: Image courtesy of Gemma Everitt et al., in partnership with ELRIG (UK) Ltd.
Outcomes
Image Credit: Image courtesy of Gemma Everitt et al., in partnership with ELRIG (UK) Ltd.
PDO applications at AstraZeneca
Image Credit: Image courtesy of Gemma Everitt et al., in partnership with ELRIG (UK) Ltd.
Organoid assay-ready plates
A) Workflow to generate cryopreserved organoid assay-ready plates. B) Live and cryopreserved assay-ready plates of colorectal cancer organoids were treated with a dose range of drug for seven days, and cell viability was measured with a CellTitre-Glo luminescence assay endpoint. Image Credit: Image courtesy of Gemma Everitt et al., in partnership with ELRIG (UK) Ltd.
High-throughput compound profiling
Organoid recovery from assay-ready cryovials and plates has enabled up to 30 organoid plates to be processed per screen. This helps researchers identify the most sensitive models and the strongest synergistic partners, informing line of sight (LOS). This capability has accelerated banking-to-assay end-point reporting times, thereby increasing overall compound profiling delivery.
Image Credit: Image courtesy of Gemma Everitt et al., in partnership with ELRIG (UK) Ltd.
Mechanisms of drug resistance in cancer
Image Credit: Image courtesy of Gemma Everitt et al., in partnership with ELRIG (UK) Ltd.
FOLFIRINOX treatment in PDAC organoids
A) Treatment-naïve pancreatic cancer organoids were exposed to a regimen of FOLFIRINOX (FFX) treatment (0.25 uM Oxaliplatin, 2 uM 5-fluorouracil, and 6.25 nM SN-38 = 1x), consisting of six weekly cycles. B) The resulting culture and vehicle control (VC) population were re-challenged to a FOLFIRINOX dose range (nine-point, two-fold dilution series of 1x) for 72 hours, and cell viability was measured with a CellTitre-Glo luminescence (Lum) assay endpoint. Fold-change differences in C) the estimated IC50 values and D) the areas under the curve (AUCs) were determined. Image Credit: Image courtesy of Gemma Everitt et al., in partnership with ELRIG (UK) Ltd.
Conclusions
- The Global Cell Bank is supporting several drug discovery projects at AstraZeneca through the supply of patient-derived organoid models.
- Assay-ready cryopreserved organoids enable higher-throughput screening, although adequate post-thaw recovery is essential.
- Lung tumor organoid derivation remains challenging, particularly where culture conditions favor normal epithelial cells.
- Repeated FOLFIRINOX exposure increases the IC50 in rechallenged pancreatic cancer organoids, potentially providing a clinically relevant drug-conditioned in vitro model.
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led patient-focused pharmaceutical company that focuses on transforming the future of healthcare by unlocking the power of what science can do for people, society and the planet.
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We focus on three main therapy areas – Oncology, BioPharmaceuticals and Rare Disease.
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Last Updated: Nov 12, 2026
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