ZOOM: Pancreatic Cancer • NEWS: Publication by Juan IOVANNA • IMODI around the world: Meet the experts! • FOCUS: From the bench to the bedside, INSERM U1068 • WEB-CATALOGUE: 20 in-vitro cell models available

1. NEWSLETTER n°5 - April 2018
www.imodi-cancer.org
ZOOM: Pancreatic Cancer
• NEWS: Publication by Juan IOVANNA
• IMODI around the world: Meet the experts!
• FOCUS: From the bench to the bedside, INSERM U1068
• WEB-CATALOGUE: 20 in-vitro cell models available
Pancreatic Ductal AdenoCarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal human malignancies and
a major health problem, causing around 350,000 deaths per year worldwide. The prognosis is
poor, with around 5% of patients alive at 5 years after diagnosis. Over recent decades, detailed
genetic analysis of tumors has resulted in the identification and validation of crucial genes that
are mutated and dysregulated in a tumor-specific manner, indicating a genetic dependency in
the development of these tumors, and suggesting that it could be possible to take advantage
of these mutations as potential therapeutic targets, where specific drugs are available.
Unfortunately, after a highly enthusiastic period, we must recognize that these types of targets
can be effectively utilized for only a small percentage of patients; firstly, because relevant drugs
are not available, and secondly, because the mutated genes are not druggable. This is the
case for PDAC, in which the mutations are relatively conserved between tumors (KRAS, P53, SMAD4, CDKN2A, MLL3, TGFBR2,
ARID1A, and SF3B1) but targetable genes remain extremely rare since some of them do not present direct enzymatic activity to be
inhibited or because their protein-protein interaction-based activity remain technically unattainable for the moment.Almost all recent
phase II and III clinical trials implemented in unselected PDAC populations showed no robust survival benefits, probably because
they were tested in unselected PDAC populations that were highly heterogeneous. In fact, a major impediment to the effective
treatment of PDAC is the molecular heterogeneity of the disease, reflected in diverse clinical response patterns to therapy. (...)
A major obstacle for efficient treatment of PDAC is its molecular heterogeneity reflected by
the variable clinical evolution. The starting point of this project was precisely the heterogeneity
observed in the clinical outcome of PDAC patients, the variable survival time after diagnosis and
a strong difference in the sensibility of tumors to treatments. We hypothesized that “deep and
systematic”studiesbyusing“Omics”approachesshouldallowustoi/classifytumors;ii/
identify the most effective and specific targets for each patient, and iii/ to identify clinically
useful biomarkers.
JoinServier&OncodesignattheAACRCongress:April14-18,Chicago,USA.Oncodesign
will be present with a booth plus an outstanding series of posters and a talk (booth #1946)
Oncodesign will participate to the European Partnering Convention called MEET2WIN entirely
dedicated to open innovation and collaborative research in oncology - 17-18 May, Bordeaux
Servier (Alain BRUNO) will be present at ASCO Annual Meeting: June 1-5,
Chicago, USA
Join Biofortis (Françoise LE VACON) at the 7th
International Human Microbiome
Congress 2018 (IHMC): June 26-28, Killarney, Kerry Ireland
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Pancreatic Cancer: what’s new?
Take an alternative road with Juan Iovanna’s team
to individualized pancreatic cancer treatments
Meet OUR experts
Read the article
Read the article
Where to meet our experts
ZOOMNEWSIMODI
AROUNDTHEWORLD
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Dr Juan IOVANNA - CRCM U1068
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MEETING
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2. NEWSLETTER n°5 - April 2018
www.imodi-cancer.org
The french IMODI (Innovative MODels Initiative) consortium is dedicated to the development,
the characterization and the commercialization of new preclinical models in oncology.
IMODI is a public-private consortium of 18 partners pooling their ressources for the development
of more valuable models of cancer in order to decrease the attrition rate of clinical development
of novel anti-cancer agents.
Science and technology developments:
The Centre de Recherche en
Cancerologie de Marseille
(CRCM) goal is to develop
cutting edge cancer research
from the bench to the
bedside.
Since its creation, the CRCM develops an integrated cancer
research program, from basic science to translational medicine
and clinical research, which is unique in Marseille. Their main
scientific and medical specialities are the molecular basis of
oncogenesis, tumor dissemination and host response on the
one hand, and the development of innovative therapeutics
mostly in breast cancer, pancreatic cancer and malignant
hemopathies. All the 19 teams of the CRCM are internationally
recognized and affiliated with INSERM, CNRS and Aix-
Marseille University.
The Pancreatic Cancer team, directed by Juan Iovanna, at the
CRCM, is interested in the molecular aspects of the pancreatic
ductal adenocarcinoma development and progression and
to improve the current available therapeutic approaches
and, more particularly, in developing tools and strategies
towards personalized treatments. The team was centered the
subjects of interest on three main areas: 1/ signalization and
metabolism of the pancreatic cancer cells; 2/ the role of intra-
tumoral microenvironment in PDAC carcinogenesis; and finally
3/ on translational medicine by developing an exceptional
molecularly and functionally well characterized PDTX collection
from 200 patients and a collection of primary organoids.
Concerning these last approaches the team focuses on a
systematic characterization on DNA, RNA and proteins as well
as metabolites and epigenomics modifications. On the other
hand, the establishment of a chemogram, by analogy with the
antibiogram for microorganisms, allows the identification of the
most efficient anticancer drug for a given patient. (...)
IMODI at a glance
Model and treat
the diversity of cancers
From bench to the bedside: Inserm U1068 Research lab
Read detailled article
2013/01/01: Creation of the consortium
2013/09/01:Signature of the consortium
agreement
2015/10/01:Signature of the 1st licence
agreement
7 years: duration of the 1rst R&D phase
150 Researchers
6 SMEs
4 pharmaceutical industries
8 Academic institutions
FOCUS
© IMODI Cancer - April 2018 - All rights reserved - www.imodi-cancer.org - news@imodi-cancer.fr
Developing PDX models
and cellular assays
Modelling the human tumour
microenvironment in mice
Studying the relationship
between microbiota and cancer
Designedby:EssentielMARKETING
IMODI’s partners
20 in-vitro cell models are already available for various cancers studied in the
IMODI consortium with new models and characterization data being added every
month.
The IMODI in-vitro cell models retain the properties of patient tumor and allow highly
reproductible studies providing understanding in cell biology, drug sensitivity and insight
into signaling pathways. Do not hesitate to contact CTIBiotech for In-vitro Patient and
PDX Derived Cancer Cell Models ; a full list of the models will be available in the IMODI
Web catalogue in the coming weeks.
New in vitro characterized models
Discover
WEB-CATALOGUE
in-vitro cell models
Several Patient Derived Cell models are already being used in the 3D-OncoCHIP FUI Project lead by CTIBiotech aiming to develop 3D printing techniques to produce reproducible microtumors
and their microenvironment. >> Learn more about 3D printing of tumoral models and 3D-OncoCHIP