High-content imaging-based 3D models advance hematological cancer research with clinically relevant tumor modeling

Crown Bioscience, a global contract research organization (CRO) headquartered in the United States and a part of JSR Life Sciences and Japan-based JSR Corporation, today unveils at AACR 2025 its cutting-edge 3D bone marrow niche (BMN) in vitro models to advance hematological cancer research. Providing both the physical environment (cell-cell interactions), and the growth factor cocktail that hematological cancer cells require to thrive and proliferate, this innovative model provides a dynamic platform for studying liquid malignancies such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and multiple myeloma (MM).

The system incorporates key cellular components—stromal cells and endothelial cells—within biofunctional hydrogels seeded with patient-derived tumor cells, optionally supplemented with autologous immune cells. By accurately capturing the essential tumor microenvironment, the niche provides a physiologically relevant system that offers insight into tumor behavior, immune evasion, and drug resistance, outperforming classic suspension assays when it comes to cell viability, assay versatility, and clinical predictivity.

“Crown Bioscience is proud to unveil this high-content imaging-based 3D BMN platform that offers a unique and robust high-throughput drug screening in primary patient cells that allows testing of malignancies and toxicities at scale,” said Ludovic Bourré, Vice President, Research and Innovation, Crown Bioscience. “Until now, bone marrow research has lagged behind solid tumor research due to lack of relevant in vitro models. With these BMN technological advances, we are now able to help researchers understand how cancer survives therapies once it reaches the bone marrow. This allows them to guide the selection of drug candidates with fewer off-target or bone marrow-related side effects and to overcome drug resistance mechanisms.”

Researchers can realize significant benefits with the BMN models including:

• The use of more predictive ex vivo data to increase accuracy in cancer cell response
• The ability to screen compounds for hematological toxicity earlier in the drug development process
• Enhanced translational insight for more informed in vivo studies, helping to reduce animal use and speed up drug development
• Enabling the creation of more effective, targeted treatments through adhesion-mediated drug resistance modeling
• Unlocking new potential in stem cell, hematological malignancy, and bone-marrow-specific oncology studies

The introduction of the BMN platform seamlessly integrates into Crown Bioscience’s expertise in 3D organoid-like cell cultures, drug resistance models, and AML mouse models and bridges a gap between in vitro and in vivo models.

Bourré said, “This is a very exciting advancement for researchers and with this offering that integrates into Crown Bioscience’s existing solutions, we’re able to continually foster innovation and accelerate drug development.”

Crown Bioscience will be presenting a poster at AACR, with details below.

Title: 3D Bone Marrow Niche: Scalable and Physiologically Relevant Ex Vivo Drug Screening Platform for Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Multiple Myeloma

Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics

Session Title: Drug Discovery Assay Technologies

Session Date and Time: April 29 at 2:00PM CT

Location: Poster section 16

Poster Board Number: 21

Published Abstract Number: 5493

To learn more about 3D BMN, visit our platform page. To view Crown Bioscience’s poster, click here.

About Crown Bioscience

Crown Bioscience, a JSR Life Sciences company, is a global contract research organization (CRO) dedicated to accelerating drug discovery and development in oncology and immuno-oncology. We partner with biotech and pharmaceutical companies to provide innovative, tailored solutions spanning preclinical research, translational platforms, and clinical trial support. With the world’s largest commercially available patient-derived xenograft (PDX) collection and approximately 1,000 tumor organoid models powered by Hubrecht Organoid Technology, we offer unparalleled insights across 35 cancer indications. Our expertise spans in vivo, in vitro, ex vivo, and in silico methods, complemented by advanced laboratory services that span the entire drug development continuum. Additionally, our extensive biobank of liquid and human biospecimens, complete with clinical histories, enhances oncology research capabilities. Operating from 11 state-of-the-art facilities across the US, Europe, and APAC, our laboratories meet the highest industry standards, including accreditation by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). To learn more, visit http://www.crownbio.com.

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Crown Bioscience Unveils 3D Bone Marrow Niche In Vitro Models for Oncology Preclinical Screening in Hematological Malignancies