Cancer Cell Propagation Method and Kit: isolating and propagating primary tumor cells from biopsies for long term growth in culture

Immortalized cell lines have been used extensively in cancer biology and as a model system to test the efficacy of vaccines, but their use is becoming increasingly limited because of extensive genetic and phenotypic variations compared to those expressed in cancer patients. 

Similarly, cancer cell lines have been used as research tools but unfortunately, these cells also suffer some of the shortcomings presented by immortalized cells, as they express antigens that are often different from those expressed on the tumours of individual patients.

Based on available information, there is no in vitro method that allows isolation from cancer patients and propagation of primary cancer tumor cells for long term growth in culture. 

The current invention was conceived in response to the limitations associated with using immortalized cell lines and cancer cell lines when testing potential drugs. 

In short, the invention is an in vitro method to obtain (isolate) and propagate (culture) primary tumor cells from human tissue samples (biopsies). A kit containing growth factors, supplements, and steroids is being developed to be commercialized. The constituents of the kit allow extraction and maintaining of the cells for longer periods of time. 

The method has been tested and proven in various cancer types, including lung, kidney, pancreas, and breast cancers. 

The main benefit is that the method overcomes the challenges associated with the use of immortalized and cancer cell lines, i.e., the genetic and phenotypic variations are not present because cells are directly cultured from live cancer patient tissue samples. This could potentially improve the efficacy of drug targets in drug discovery programs.

• Drug Discovery: research institutions, companies, or organizations conducting drug discovery that require cell lines for testing drugs that are similar to tumor cells from real cancer patient samples (biopsies).
• Cancer Research: research institutions, companies or organizations conducting research into the mechanisms and characteristics of various cancers
• The invention can also be used as a therapeutic adjunct or a monitoring tool whereby the autologous tumor cells from patients could be kept alive, and immune cells from the blood could be retested on these cell cultures over a period of about four or five months down the line to see whether there is a tumor residual effect. 

UCT is looking for partner(s) interested in either:

1. Adopting the method for internal purposes, drug discovery or cancer research, and/or,

2. Developing a ready‑for‑sale kit incorporating the cell culturing components and instructions to perform the method; marketing, selling and/or distributing the final product to customers.

We anticipate that the kit can be marketed on existing online platforms selling research reagents or tools. UCT already has an existing partnership with such online platform.

• UK Patent GB2572914B (granted)
• USA Patent Application No. 16/479,202
• UK Patent Application No. 2210579.5 (divisional)
• South African patent application 2019/04830