Molecular Diagnostics Services, Inc.
A Contract Research Organization

Efficacy Evaluation of Cancer Drugs


MDS offers a variety of GLP and non-GLP in vivo services for efficacy evaluations of cancer drugs from designing and performing animal studies to histopathology analysis and follow-up molecular biology and biochemistry experiments. Our experienced project managers work together with our clients to ensure that we provide the in vivo services they need. Animal care is closely monitored by MDS's AAALAC accredited Laboratory Animal Medicine Division (RRDA).

Xenograft and Syngeneic Tumor Implants: Human xenograft implants in nude athymic mice or syngeneic transplants in appropriate rodent models are the industry standard for assessing the success of an anti-cancer agent, whether the compound works by directly affecting the growth of the tumor or by controlling processes such as angiogenesis. Tumor cell cultures or tumor fragments are implanted either ectopically or orthotopically and the tumors grown to a specified size. The animals are randomized, placed into groups, and the test groups are treated with a prescribed drug regimen over the test period. Typically, tumor sizes are measured twice a week and body weight's once a week. The animals are sacrificed at the end of the test period and tissues are removed for pathological evaluation.

There are a number of sources for obtaining cancer cell lines (e.g, the American Type Culture Collection) .Whenever possible ,we like the client to supply the cell line so that the in vivo studies are performed from the same cell line source as the initial in vitro studies . Some human tumor lines that we commonly use in xenograft studies are listed below. Some human tumor lines that we commonly use in xenograft studies include

Examples of human tumor lines used in xenograft: Examples of syngeneic cell lines: Based in part on the growth rate, primary tumor formation, metastatic rate, and tumor pathology, we can determine whether the cell line is suitable for use in a xenograft or syngeneic model.

Animal to animal passage of tumors: When cancer cell line cultures do not form consistent primary tumors in animals, we can harvest the primary tumors that do form, fragment the tumors, and implant the fragments in a second group of animals. Animal to animal passage is performed until enough tumor material is generated for a desired study.

Z-Chamber (Diffusion Chambers) Model: Highly metastatic cell lines cannot be used in traditional xenograft studies because multiple tumor formation makes growth measurements impossible. But we offer a set of metastasis models for these cell lines. Very slow growing tumors are very costly to evaluate in xenograft/syngeneic models due to extended treatment regimens and animal care costs, but other animal models such as the Z-chamber, may be useful when cell culture growth rates are slow.

MDS offers a number of pro- and anti- angiogenic assays :
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