PDP is the world’s only strategy using real patients’ avatars for drug screenings. Genetic mouse avatars cannot be created due to lack of sophisticated genetic tools – only two or three mutations could be introduced in mice, not comparable to the 20 mutations included in the PDP model. Related options include patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mice and organoids.
Although initially promising, the implementation of PDX mice for the identification of personalised treatments has been halted due to lack of success and cost constraints, and they are currently used for academic research only. Cell-based strategies such as organoids built from a patient’s cancer cells are available. However, organoids can be obtained for only a fraction of patients and they are used to test standard of care medicines.
Moreover, as these cancer cells are artificially cultured, they lack realistic drug responses because they are acting in an in vitro artificial environment. Therefore, Vivan’s technology is positioned at the forefront of personalised medicine