Premas Biotech has received funding support under the Scheme for Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech Sector (PRIP), an initiative of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India, for the development of its AXTEX-4D™ technology.

The supported project, titled "AXTEX-4D: Development of Patient-Derived Breast Cancer Organoids for Personalized Chemotherapy Screening," aims to advance an indigenous three-dimensional tumour organoid platform that could enable more personalised and evidence-based chemotherapy selection for breast cancer patients.

The initiative addresses a key challenge in breast cancer treatment, where chemotherapy selection is often based on tumour type, stage and limited biomarker information, despite significant variations in individual patient responses. Such variability can result in ineffective treatment, unnecessary toxicity, delayed therapy adjustments and increased healthcare costs.

AXTEX-4D is designed to bridge this gap by enabling ex vivo testing of multiple chemotherapy options on patient-derived tumour models before treatment decisions are made.

The technology employs a scaffold-based three-dimensional culture system in which biopsy-derived cells are grown on a non-woven polymer fibre matrix to form tumour tissueoids. 

These tissueoids recreate critical characteristics of the native tumour microenvironment, including tumour architecture, cell-to-cell interactions, oxygen gradients and drug penetration barriers, providing a more physiologically relevant model than conventional two-dimensional cell cultures.

With support from the PRIP scheme, Premas Biotech will advance AXTEX-4D™ from the proof-of-concept stage toward clinical translation. The project will focus on developing patient-derived organoids, conducting molecular and functional characterisation, evaluating chemotherapy responses and generating data to support future clinical validation and wider adoption.

Dr. Nupur Mehrotra Arora, Co-Founder and Director – Operations at Premas Biotech, said, “We are grateful to the Department of Pharmaceuticals for supporting this important initiative under the PRIP scheme. AXTEX-4D™ reflects Premas' commitment to building India-led innovation that addresses real-life clinical needs. Through this project, we aim to move closer to a future where chemotherapy selection for breast cancer can be guided by patient-specific tumour response rather than empirical decision-making alone. Our broader vision is to make functional precision oncology more accessible, affordable and relevant for Indian patients.”

The project aligns with the PRIP scheme's objective of strengthening research and innovation in India's pharmaceutical and medical technology sector while advancing indigenous solutions for cancer research, drug screening and future personalised oncology applications.