A comprehensive guide to our organoid testing process for oncologists
OncoForma's patient-derived organoid platform provides functional drug sensitivity data to guide precision therapy selection
OncoForma has developed a clinical-grade organoid testing platform that cultures patient tumor cells in 3D conditions that closely mimic the native tumor microenvironment. By testing multiple cancer therapies directly on living patient tumor cells, we provide oncologists with personalized drug sensitivity data to inform treatment decisions.
Patient tumor cells are cultured in 3D extracellular matrix conditions that preserve tumor architecture, cell-cell interactions, and heterogeneity.
Automated drug screening platform tests 25-50 cancer therapies simultaneously, including chemotherapy, targeted agents, and immunotherapy.
Direct measurement of tumor cell viability, apoptosis, and drug-induced cytotoxicity provides functional sensitivity data.
Rigorous quality control ensures organoid viability, genetic concordance with source tumor, and reproducibility of drug response data.
| Step | Timeline | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sample Collection & Shipping | Day 0-1 | Sample collected by oncologist/surgeon and shipped same day |
| Sample Receipt & Processing | Day 1-2 | Sample received at OncoForma lab, processed, and organoid culture initiated |
| Organoid Establishment & QC | Day 3-14 | Organoids expand to sufficient numbers; viability and genetic validation performed |
| Drug Screening | Day 14-21 | High-throughput drug exposure and viability measurement |
| Data Analysis & Report | Day 21-25 | Bioinformatics analysis, medical interpretation, report generation |
| Total Turnaround | 21-25 days | From sample receipt to report delivery |
Expedited Processing: For urgent clinical scenarios (rapidly progressing disease, limited treatment options), expedited 14-18 day turnaround may be available upon request. Please discuss with our clinical team.
OncoForma's platform has been extensively validated in clinical studies demonstrating correlation between organoid drug sensitivity and patient response:
| Metric | Performance | Clinical Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Predictive Value | 87-92% | Patients whose tumors are sensitive in organoids have high likelihood of clinical response |
| Negative Predictive Value | 89-94% | Patients whose tumors are resistant in organoids are unlikely to respond |
| Concordance with Clinical Outcome | 78-85% | Overall agreement between organoid prediction and actual patient response |
| Culture Success Rate | 75-85% | Percentage of samples successfully generating viable organoids for testing |
These validation metrics are derived from prospective clinical studies in colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer. Full study details are available on our Clinical Evidence page.
| Feature | OncoForma Organoid Testing | Standard Genomic Testing |
|---|---|---|
| Information Provided | Functional drug sensitivity across 25-50 drugs | Genetic mutations and potential targets |
| Predictive for Chemotherapy | ✓ Direct testing of chemotherapy agents | ✗ Limited utility for chemotherapy selection |
| Captures Tumor Heterogeneity | ✓ Tests all viable tumor cell populations | Partial (depends on sequencing depth) |
| Identifies Resistance Mechanisms | ✓ Functional resistance measured directly | Only if resistance mutation is known |
| Actionable for Patients Without Targetable Mutations | ✓ Provides guidance for ~95% of patients | ✗ Only ~15-25% have actionable mutations |
| Turnaround Time | 21-25 days | 4-6 weeks |
Complementary Approach: OncoForma testing is designed to complement, not replace, standard molecular profiling. We recommend both genomic testing and organoid functional testing to provide comprehensive information for treatment planning.
Get started with OncoForma's precision organoid testing for your patients.