Oncodesign Services, Nexus BioQuest partners to give biotechs a clearer route

Oncodesign Services and Nexus BioQuest have formed a partnership connecting their respective in vitro and in vivo expertise, giving biotech companies a clearer route to specialist support as preclinical programs progress.

The collaboration links Nexus BioQuest’s human-relevant in vitro expertise with Oncodesign Services’ three decades of experience in in vivo pharmacology. With shared experience across oncology, inflammation and autoimmunity, the two companies will be able to contribute complementary scientific approaches within individual development programs. 

The partnership is intended to give biotech companies, particularly those with compact internal teams, access to specialist capabilities from either organization as their scientific requirements evolve. Where appropriate, clients can involve both teams in discussions around preclinical study requirements, while retaining the flexibility to select the studies and providers relevant to their program. 

Nexus BioQuest brings expertise in human primary cell-based immunology, combining translational 2D and 3D models that integrate immune cells and relevant tissue targets with validated and bespoke assay development across immuno-oncology, inflammation and autoimmunity. Oncodesign Services’ capabilities include syngeneic, patient-derived xenograft (PDX), cell-derived xenograft (CDX) and humanized immune system in vivo models, inflammatory disease models, radiopharmaceuticals, and preclinical imaging. These complementary capabilities give biotech teams access to different types of preclinical evidence to support informed decision-making as their scientific requirements evolve.

Endometriosis is a proof-of-concept for this joint approach and an emerging therapeutic area for immune targeting drugs within the broader women’s health and inflammation space. As endometriosis is a highly complex, multifactorial disease, this is an area where Nexus BioQuest’s in vitro primary cell inflammatory models can be used to complement Oncodesign Services’ validated in vivo endometriosis models that can assess pathophysiological endpoints including lesion development, fibrosis and inflammatory responses. 

Aidan Synnott, CEO at Oncodesign Services, said: “For biotech teams, the challenge is often not finding another CRO, but finding the right expertise for the scientific question they need to answer next.

“We know the Nexus BioQuest team and the quality of its science, which means we can make an introduction with confidence when a program needs capabilities outside of our specialist scope. The same applies in the other direction. For researchers, it provides a route to another specialist team without having to start that search from scratch. Our goal is to help minimize the uncertainty and risk that go hand-in-hand with limited funds and timelines.”

Both organizations emphasize close scientific collaboration with clients and adapting study approaches as new questions emerge during a program.

Will Parish, CEO at Nexus BioQuest, said: “Early drug discovery rarely comes down to a single experiment or model. There are points where you need to understand what is happening in a human-relevant in vitro system and others where an in vivo model can provide a different level of insight.

“Having access to trusted specialist expertise in both areas gives biotech teams a clearer route to the support they need at different points in preclinical development, helping them make more informed decisions about where to place their work.”

Recommendations made through the partnership will be based on the scientific requirements of each program and where partner organizations can bring the most relevant expertise, providing clients with informed choices and full control over which provider they engage and how their program is staged.