Repositive introduces first Global PDX Directory at AACR conference

The first Global PDX Directory for proprietary and open source PDX models is being introduced by Cambridge (UK) based benefit corporation, Repositive, at the American Association for Cancer Research’s (AACR) International Conference, on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, hosted in conjunction with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the National Cancer Institute, in Philadelphia, USA, 26-30 October 2017.

Fiona Nielsen, Founder and CEO of Repositive

The Global PDX Directory is being designed to connect PDX model vendors with oncology researchers, enabling streamlined discovery and access to PDX models and services, in a controlled and secure environment.  It will make PDX data fully accessible and comparable by oncology researchers, with the ultimate aim of benefiting cancer patients.

Dr. Daniel Gerlach, Cancer Research Bioinformatics at Boehringer Ingelheim, said:

For many years researchers have been struggling to identify vendors, offering deeply characterized patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models that can advance drug development. In addition, we are facing the challenge of harmonizing model-related genomics and meta data across different providers. Repositive is set to provide a real solution, in helping to quickly identify vendors and crucial pre-clinical PDX models with easy searchable meta data. We have therefore been working with Repositive for over a year now, consulting on the development of the PDX platform, and will continue to support the team in the lead up to the release next year.

Jonathan Dry, Principal Scientist and global strategy lead for AstraZeneca, commented: “RepositivePDX will give us the ability to search for exactly the right PDX models, from both the large and the small providers, which we may not currently be able to find.  It will catalogue the world’s PDX models, available for collaboration or purchase, with exactly the right mutation status, molecular signature, tumor type, and so on, and will even tell us if they have been tested and found to be sensitive or resistant to a particular drug.  This efficiency of access to PDX data will be immensely valuable to us.”

The international nature of the AACR conference will allow Repositive’s development team to engage with vendors and researchers from around the world, providing an unrivaled opportunity to obtain feedback and insight.

Fiona Nielsen, Founder and CEO of Repositive, said:

The use of PDX models in oncology research has the potential to significantly accelerate scientific knowledge and understanding, but what good is outstanding research if it cannot be accessed and its findings compared?  

Repositive’s Global PDX Directory will enable researchers to easily find and access proprietary and open source models from multiple vendors; while PDX model vendors will retain total control of their data and who can access it.

Philippe Lluel, Founder and CEO of Urosphere, a CRO company specializing in urological pathologies and PDX development with a unique urological tumorgraft collection, said:

We are really proud to be part of the Repositive PDX consortium who will help us to improve our visibility and to increase our quality of research and services on PDX models

Mr. Panna Sharma, CEO of Cancer Genetics Inc, said:

CGI looks forward to continuing its deep engagements with the Repositive PDX Consortium and becoming a leading partner in this effort to improve the utility of PDX models as critical tools for the development of novel cancer therapeutics and as predictive tools for clinical outcomes.

Nielsen concluded:

We are at an exciting stage of development and are calling on PDX vendors and oncology researchers to join us now so we can work together in shaping the functionality and usability of the final Directory, ready for the 2018 release.