Indivumed and University of Rochester Collaborate on Cancer Therapies

Indivumed and the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have announced a significant partnership aimed at enhancing the discovery of new cancer therapeutics. This collaboration, revealed on December 10, 2025, seeks to leverage Indivumed’s expertise in standardized tissue and clinical data collection to advance precision oncology for patients in critical need.

Collaboration Focused on Patient-Centric Research

Indivumed’s innovative platform utilizes rigorously collected surgical tissue samples alongside comprehensive clinical data, emphasizing patient-centric cancer research and drug development. URMC will play a crucial role by providing high-quality biosamples and clinical patient data while adhering to Indivumed’s stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs). A notable aspect of this collaboration is the commitment to minimizing ischemia time to under ten minutes, which is essential for maintaining sample integrity.

The primary goal of the joint research efforts is to create well-characterized, patient-derived tumor models (PDTMs) from these samples. These models—including classical cell cultures, spheroids, and organoids—will aid in the identification, validation, and development of targeted cancer therapeutics, thereby reducing risks associated with drug discovery.

Hartmut “Hucky” Land, PhD, Deputy Director of the Wilmot Cancer Institute, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We have worked with Indivumed successfully in the past, and our familiarity with their tissue and multi-omics data approach will provide an excellent foundation. The new project will create greater opportunities to identify new therapeutics and biomarkers, uncover insights on the right target-patient match for clinical decision-making, and thus help advance cancer care.”

Targeting High-Need Cancer Types

The collaboration will initially target advanced stages of solid tumors with significant medical need, including colorectal cancer (CRC), pancreatic cancer (PDAC), lung cancer, and breast cancer. Future expansions to other cancer types are also anticipated. Insights gained through this partnership will not only support Indivumed’s ongoing research initiatives but will also provide valuable guidance to clinicians in therapeutic decision-making.

Hartmut Juhl, CEO and founder of Indivumed, expressed optimism about the collaboration: “We are thrilled to deepen our collaboration with URMC, significantly enhancing our ability to identify novel cancer therapeutics in a truly patient-centered approach. We will develop primary tumor models for testing novel compounds against targets identified by our unique AI-powered data analytical capabilities to bring novel therapeutics to patients as fast and precisely as possible.”

As part of this agreement, URMC will join the Indivumed Global Clinical Network, which includes numerous prestigious hospitals and oncology institutes across North America, Europe, and Asia. This partnership builds on past successful collaborations, including a recent publication focused on a new classification method for distinct types of colon cancer.

The Wilmot Cancer Institute, part of URMC, is an NCI-Designated Cancer Center located in Rochester, New York. It serves over three million people across 27 counties in Western and Central New York and is recognized as a leader in cancer care and research. The institute employs a dedicated team of more than 190 oncology physicians, over 500 oncology nurses, and approximately 115 scientists.

Indivumed is a biotech firm dedicated to precision oncology, focusing on the discovery of novel targets for cancer therapeutics. With more than twenty years of experience, the company aims to redefine oncology by ensuring that patients receive the most effective therapies tailored to their specific needs.

For further inquiries, Indivumed’s Kristin Maack, VP of Corporate Communications, and Kellie Fraver, Strategic Communications Director at URMC, are available via email.