Abstract 2578: Clinical feasibility study of Optim.AI 2.0, a co-culture high-content functional precision platform for predicting combinatorial immunotherapy response

Abstract Background: Immunotherapies have advanced cancer treatment, but variable outcomes and the lack of robust predictive biomarkers limit their use. Better patient selection and rational combination strategies could expand their effectiveness. Optim.AI™ is a combinatorial functional precision medicine platform previously shown to identify effective combination treatments for hematologic cancers and sarcoma. Earlier versions guided chemo- and targeted therapy choices but lacked immune components, restricting the drugs assessed. Here, we evaluate the clinical feasibility of Optim.AI™ 2.0, which integrates high-content imaging with tumor-immune ex vivo co-cultures to predict responses to immunotherapy combinations across solid and hematologic tumors. Methods: For Optim.AI™ 2.0, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and tumor cells (non-Hodgkin lymphomas, gynecological cancers or gastrointestinal cancers) were fluorescently labeled to facilitate cell tracking. Combinatorial drug treatment was carried out on co-culture models with indication-specific 12-drug panels, including monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies. High-content imaging analysis of tumor-specific cell death was evaluated for Optim.AI™ 2.0 analysis, which searches 531,441 possible permutations derived from 155 ex vivo test combinations to predictively rank all clinically actionable treatments within the drug panel. Clinically relevant immunotherapies were compared with patient-specific factors—disease stage, subtype, and treatment history—to assess concordance with predicted responses. Results: Optimized effector-to-target ratios were established to effectively quantify immune-mediated tumor killing, including antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. High-content imaging captured tumor-specific killing and key immune-tumor interactions such as immune cell migration and tumor infiltration. Across multiple indications, Optim.AI™ 2.0 demonstrated feasibility by detecting antigen-dependent responses and identifying context-specific immunotherapy combinations in both hematologic and solid tumor models. It accurately predicted sensitivity or resistance to first-line rituximab in naïve and relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and revealed additional immunotherapy combinations with potential utility in later treatment lines. Conclusion: We developed a high-content functional analytics platform that assesses immunotherapy drug sets in a physiologically relevant tumor-immune co-culture system. With further validation, it could help clinicians select effective immunotherapies. When paired with molecular profiling, Optim.AI™ 2.0 may identify novel immunotherapy combinations for specific patient populations defined by known or emerging biomarkers. Citation Format: Sharon Pei Yi Chan, Masturah Rashid, Jhin Jieh Lim, Weng Tong Ho, Edward Kai-Hua Chow. Clinical feasibility study of Optim.AI 2.0, a co-culture high-content functional precision platform for predicting combinatorial immunotherapy response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 2578.

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Journal
Cancer Research
Published
2026-04-03
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.am2026-2578
Primary Topic
Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
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article

Abstract 2578: Clinical feasibility study of Optim.AI 2.0, a co-culture high-content functional precision platform for predicting combinatorial immunotherapy response

Sharon Pei Yi Chan, Edward KH Chow, Jhin Jieh Lim, Masturah Rashid et al.
Cancer Research
Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
article

Abstract 2578: Clinical feasibility study of Optim.AI 2.0, a co-culture high-content functional precision platform for predicting combinatorial immunotherapy response

Sharon Pei Yi Chan, Edward KH Chow, Jhin Jieh Lim, Masturah Rashid, Weng Tong Ho
article en

Abstract

Abstract Background: Immunotherapies have advanced cancer treatment, but variable outcomes and the lack of robust predictive biomarkers limit their use. Better patient selection and rational combination strategies could expand their effectiveness. Optim.AI™ is a combinatorial functional precision medicine platform previously shown to identify effective combination treatments for hematologic cancers and sarcoma. Earlier versions guided chemo- and targeted therapy choices but lacked immune components, restricting the drugs assessed. Here, we evaluate the clinical feasibility of Optim.AI™ 2.0, which integrates high-content imaging with tumor-immune ex vivo co-cultures to predict responses to immunotherapy combinations across solid and hematologic tumors. Methods: For Optim.AI™ 2.0, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and tumor cells (non-Hodgkin lymphomas, gynecological cancers or gastrointestinal cancers) were fluorescently labeled to facilitate cell tracking. Combinatorial drug treatment was carried out on co-culture models with indication-specific 12-drug panels, including monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies. High-content imaging analysis of tumor-specific cell death was evaluated for Optim.AI™ 2.0 analysis, which searches 531,441 possible permutations derived from 155 ex vivo test combinations to predictively rank all clinically actionable treatments within the drug panel. Clinically relevant immunotherapies were compared with patient-specific factors—disease stage, subtype, and treatment history—to assess concordance with predicted responses. Results: Optimized effector-to-target ratios were established to effectively quantify immune-mediated tumor killing, including antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. High-content imaging captured tumor-specific killing and key immune-tumor interactions such as immune cell migration and tumor infiltration. Across multiple indications, Optim.AI™ 2.0 demonstrated feasibility by detecting antigen-dependent responses and identifying context-specific immunotherapy combinations in both hematologic and solid tumor models. It accurately predicted sensitivity or resistance to first-line rituximab in naïve and relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and revealed additional immunotherapy combinations with potential utility in later treatment lines. Conclusion: We developed a high-content functional analytics platform that assesses immunotherapy drug sets in a physiologically relevant tumor-immune co-culture system. With further validation, it could help clinicians select effective immunotherapies. When paired with molecular profiling, Optim.AI™ 2.0 may identify novel immunotherapy combinations for specific patient populations defined by known or emerging biomarkers. Citation Format: Sharon Pei Yi Chan, Masturah Rashid, Jhin Jieh Lim, Weng Tong Ho, Edward Kai-Hua Chow. Clinical feasibility study of Optim.AI 2.0, a co-culture high-content functional precision platform for predicting combinatorial immunotherapy response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 2578.

Cancer ResearchVol. 86(7_Supplement)
Creative Technologies (United States) (US), Broadcom (Singapore) (SG)
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 10%
Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
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