A peer-reviewed study from Tolerance Bio reports that lab-grown human thymic organoids can restore immune function and suppress melanoma tumor growth in mice, pointing to a potential personalized cancer treatment and immune regeneration approach.

Researchers used patient-derived iPSC thymic cells implanted into immune-deficient humanized mice alongside matching patient tumor tissue, leading to slower tumor growth, fewer viable melanoma cells, more activated T cells, and signs of enhanced tumor clearance.

The study, titled “Patient-specific autologous thymic organoids support functional T-cell education leading to antitumor activity in humanized mice with melanoma xenografts,” was published in Cancer Research Communications and involved researchers Antonio Jimeno and Holger A. Russ.

Jimeno and Russ say the thymic organoid model marks a significant advance for personalized cancer models, potential cell therapies, and more targeted drug and vaccine development.

Tolerance Bio leadership stresses that iPSC-derived thymic cells could reconstitute a functional T cell system in vivo and signals readiness to move toward clinical development, including pre-IND activities for an off-the-shelf thymic cell product.

Overall, the work tackles a major limitation in humanized mouse models by adding functional thymic organoids to improve immune-tumor cell interactions, enabling more accurate testing of immune therapies.