SAN DIEGO — Scientist.com has significantly expanded its Tumor Model Finder (TMF) through a new partnership with XenoSTART, a global leader in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model development. The collaboration adds hundreds of highly sought-after tumor models to the platform, pushing its total to over 10,000 searchable oncology models and improving access for cancer researchers worldwide.
The TMF platform, powered by artificial intelligence, aggregates tumor model data from more than 20 contract research organizations (CROs) and enables researchers to search, compare, and source models for 17 cancer types—including PDX, CDX, organoids, and cell lines. It also provides critical supporting data such as drug response profiles, genomic alterations like KRAS and BRAF mutations, and RNA sequencing-based gene expression.
“XenoSTART’s contribution significantly boosts the depth and quality of our TMF offerings,” said Javier Pineda, Ph.D., Director of Preclinical AI at Scientist.com. “Researchers can now find models with richer data and greater relevance to their specific cancer studies.”
According to Michael J. Wick, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at XenoSTART, the partnership addresses a key challenge in oncology R&D: limited access to deeply characterized models that mirror real-world patient disease complexity. “By joining the Scientist.com marketplace, XenoSTART eliminates this significant barrier, providing immediate access to our highly relevant, patient-derived tumor models that are directly linked to our global clinical network,” he said.
The partnership also strengthens the translational pipeline for pharmaceutical companies by ensuring continuity between preclinical model selection and clinical trial execution. XenoSTART’s tumor models are derived from patient tissue samples sourced through START’s global oncology trial network, helping drug developers accelerate decision-making and streamline oncology drug development.
