At AACR 2025, Crown Bioscience introduced its new 3D bone marrow niche (BMN) in vitro models, designed to support preclinical research in hematological malignancies such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and multiple myeloma (MM).

The development marks an important step toward closing the gap between traditional suspension assays and in vivo studies for blood cancers.

The BMN models incorporate stromal and endothelial cells within biofunctional hydrogels, seeded with patient-derived tumor cells. In some cases, autologous immune cells are also introduced, creating a more physiologically relevant tumor microenvironment. According to Crown Bioscience, the system offers advantages over classic suspension assays, including improved cell viability, greater assay versatility, and enhanced clinical predictivity.

By more closely replicating the cellular interactions and growth factor conditions found in human bone marrow, the platform aims to help researchers better understand tumor behavior, immune evasion, and drug resistance. This could, in turn, lead to the development of more effective and targeted therapies for hematological malignancies.

“Until now, bone marrow research has lagged behind solid tumor research due to the lack of relevant in vitro models,” said Ludovic Bourré, vice president of research and innovation at Crown Bioscience.

“With these BMN technological advances, we are now able to help researchers understand how cancer survives therapies once it reaches the bone marrow. This allows them to guide the selection of drug candidates with fewer off-target or bone marrow-related side effects and to overcome drug resistance mechanisms.”

Key benefits highlighted by the company include the ability to generate more predictive ex vivo data, screen compounds for hematological toxicity earlier in the drug development process, and enhance translational insight to guide in vivo studies. Crown Bioscience also believes the model will support efforts to reduce animal use in research by providing more reliable preclinical data.

In addition, the BMN models may help researchers explore adhesion-mediated drug resistance mechanisms—an area of growing importance in the development of new cancer treatments. By studying how cancer cells interact with their environment to evade therapies, scientists can work toward overcoming one of the major hurdles in blood cancer treatment.

The new offering expands Crown Bioscience’s portfolio in 3D cell culture, drug resistance modeling, and oncology-focused mouse models. It also reflects the company’s broader commitment to advancing preclinical tools that improve the predictability of drug development pipelines.

Crown Bioscience will share more detailed findings on the BMN platform in its poster presentation at AACR 2025.