Xenograft Mouse Models

Confidently translate your pharmacological research from benchtop to bedside with patient-derived xenograft models.

Our team of scientists can help you select the right model for your application and perform a full in-vivo pharmacological response profile including evaluation of therapeutic response, cell behavior, and tumor metastasis. With a state-of-the-art barrier facility suitable for housing immunodeficient and severely immunocompromised animals on-site, we perform high-quality experiments and deliver data you can trust.

By leveraging our resources, expertise, and fully customizable study designs, you get the data you need to advance immunotherapies and transform the state of oncology treatments.

Increase your predictive ability with xenograft tumor models

Mouse xenograft models involve the transplantation of cell line-derived xenograft (CDX) or patient-derived xenograft (PDX) into immunodeficient or humanized mice. With these tumor models, you create an environment for growing human cancer, monitoring its progress, and evaluating experimental treatments.

Evaluate your immunotherapeutic agents and combination therapies with xenograft mouse models

Set your research up for success by leveraging our expertise and outsourcing your in vivo experiments.

CDX Models

PDX Models

Explore our PDX models for accurately predicting the clinical success of your targeted cancer therapies. Direct from patient sample to mouse xenograft, PDX models preserve the genetic complexity and tissue heterogeneity of the tumor you are targeting.

  • Increase replicability with tumor genetic stability: PDX models allow for the propagation and expansion of patient tumors without significant genetic transformation of tumor cells over multiple murine generations.
  • Mimic realistic tumor microenvironments: Within PDX models, patient tumor samples grow in physiologically-relevant tumor microenvironments that mimic the oxygen, nutrient, and hormone levels found in the patient’s primary tumor site.
  • Explore patient-specific attributes: Implanted tumor tissue maintains the genetic and epigenetic abnormalities found in the patient.
  • Accelerate therapeutic impact with higher predictive ability: Numerous studies have found PDX models exhibit similar responses to anti-cancer agents seen in the actual patient who provided the tumor sample.

Enhance your study findings with custom services and tools

Get the most out of your study and take advantage of our bespoke add-on services that include IVIS imaging, whole blood, spleen, lymph node analysis, and more.

  • We chose Melior Discovery because they were responsive and cost effective.  We are staying with them as a chosen scientific partner because of their thoughtful scientific input to experimental design and attention to detail.  Their expertise and flexibility allowed us to quickly adapt the study design and evaluate additional outcome measures to pursue unexpected activity.

    Sridharan Rajamani, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist

    Gilead Sciences
  • I have been working with Melior on a number of projects over the course of a few years now.  They have been a great partner throughout this time.  The scientists whom I have worked with have been great problem-solvers and were customer focused.

    Jay Lichter

    Avalon Ventures
  • Melior provided State-of-the-art Preclinical Pharmacology Support for a period of nearly a year where a series of in vivo studies were completed on a weekly basis. The staff was extremely user-friendly and the operational processes were excellent. I can recommend Melior without reservation.

    Richard DiMarchi, PhD

    Cox Professor of Chemistry & Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences Indiana University, Department of Chemistry
  • Because Melior could do the orthotopic intracranial implants, we were able to do survival studies with brain tumor-bearing animals that were treated with our therapy, showing a beautiful survival with our agent versus control. Talk about something that gets your investors going! These beautiful survival curves with our agent versus control and visual photos are in all of our investor decks because… it's powerful.

    Bruce Ruggeri, Ph.D.

    Modifi Bio
  • Melior works in many therapeutic areas, like CNS, inflammatory disease, GI, cardiovascular, and oncology. I was very pleased that when it came to doing tumor studies, both subcutaneous and intracranial, they did them well. They reported on the studies on time and did the data analysis really well.

    Bruce Ruggeri, Ph.D.

    Modifi Bio
  • Their areas of expertise are extensive, and they are very experienced, responsive, and flexible in terms of how the study is run. Their pricing is reasonable, making them the best option for a young, not well-funded company like ours.

    Maxine Gowen

    Tamuro Bio
  • Melior’s team was very experienced and knowledgeable. They were always very open to suggestions and questions, spending a lot of time helping us feel comfortable with the study design. I would give them very high marks.

    Maxine Gowen

    Tamuro Bio
  • The most important factors in choosing to work with Melior were the fit between the tests they could run and our needs, as well as their tight budget and proximity. Melior was the best fit for our research goals.

    Ira Spector

    SFA Therapeutics

Chemotherapy validation in human hepatic cancer HepG2 xenograft mouse model. 5 x106 HepG2 were subcutaneously injected into the rear flank of nude mice. Once the tumor size reached ~100mm3, mice were randomized into vehicle control group (treated with normal saline) and cisplatin group (4 mg/kg, i.p twice/week).Data area mean ± SEM; n=6 for vehicle and n=5 for paclitaxel group.

Chemotherapy validation in human breast cancer MCF7 subcutaneous xenograft mouse model. 10 x106 MCF7 cells (with Matrigel) were subcutaneously injected into the rear flank of nude mice. Once the tumor size reached ~100mm3, mice were randomized into the vehicle control group (treated with normal saline) and the paclitaxel group (20 mg/kg, i.p once/week ). Data area mean ± SEM; n=5 for each group.

Get the data you need with customized experiments and expert advice.

Custom-tailored models for your unique research questions.

Reach your discoveries sooner with industry-leading 4-7 week lead times.

Decades worth of experience across a breadth of research areas.

Publications

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer patient-derived xenograft models (PDX)?

Yes, we do offer PDX models. We can also assist clients with any tumor genotype that can be acquired through NCI.

Do you provide a genotype profile of tumor type? (e.g. HER2-positive or EGFR-positive)

Yes. We provide profiles directly from the cell line resource (ie ATCC). All information is readily available and will be provided to the client upon request.