Objective
"Objectives: The project aims to industrialize a human vascularized tumor-on-chip (VANTAGE) to bridge the ""predictive gap"" in Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) development. Primary goals include: (1) Quantifying the ""total spectrum"" of ADC efficacy, from primary tumor regression to the inhibition of micrometastatic seeds; (2) Benchmarking off-target vascular toxicity and barrier using a functional, perfusable microvasculature network; and (3) Standardizing the platform into a regulatory-grade New Approach Methodology (NAM) with reproducibility (CV <10%) suitable for industrial drug filing.
How they will be achieved: We will transition a validated prototype into an injection-molded platform with unidirectional flow, recapitulating vascular-tumor interactions. The platform’s predictive power will be validated through two clinical scenarios: Breast Cancer and NSCLC, monitoring primary mass destruction and secondary colony formation via autonomous biologically driven cell selection. We will benchmark diverse ADC libraries, testing pH-sensitive and Cathepsin-B cleavable linkers to map the interplay between hemodynamics, internalization, and bystander killing. Integration of AI-driven metrics will automate the quantification of vascular morphology and functions alongside metastatic seeding, ensuring objective, high-throughput data.
Relevance to the Work Programme: VANTAGE directly addresses the EIC mandate to develop market-ready NAMs that reduce reliance on animal testing. By providing human-relevant data on vascular toxicity and metastatic bottlenecks—parameters often invisible in CDX/PDX models—it offers a pathway for regulatory-grade adoption. Supported by industry leaders, a former ADC CEO as business advisor, and a regulatory agency, the project maps a clear transition from academic validation to a high-growth spin-off, providing the pharmaceutical industry with a standardized benchmark to de-risk next-generation targeted therapies and reduce clinical attrition."
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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HORIZON.3.1.3 - Additional EIC activities
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2026-AIC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
3012 Bern
Switzerland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.