Genialis and Inventia Join Forces to Improve Pancreatic Cancer Research

Genialis and Inventia Life Science have announced a collaboration aimed at improving how new pancreatic cancer treatments are tested and matched to patients who may benefit from them.

The companies will combine Genialis’ AI-based patient analysis with Inventia’s RASTRUM 3D cell model platform to develop laboratory models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) that better reflect the biology of specific patient groups.

The first results from the collaboration will be presented at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s 2026 Scientific Summit in San Diego.

Pancreatic cancer research has seen growing interest in targeted treatments, but identifying which patients are most likely to respond remains a major challenge. The collaboration is designed to help researchers address this gap by connecting data from real patient tumors with human-relevant laboratory models.

Inventia’s RASTRUM platform creates reproducible 3D pancreatic cancer models in which tumor and stromal components can be controlled separately. Genialis will use its Genialis Supermodel, an AI-based molecular model trained on a curated transcriptomics dataset, to analyze these models and compare them with molecular patterns found in patients.

The companies are also using data from Genialis’ collaboration with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN).

As part of the research, Genialis analyzed 644 pancreatic cancer tumors from the PanCAN SPARK “Know Your Tumor” cohort. The company identified patient groups with poor outcomes based on the activity and composition of the tumor microenvironment.

Researchers then matched these patient profiles with tumor-fibroblast co-culture models created using the RASTRUM platform. This approach allows scientists to study the biological features linked to poor outcomes and test potential treatment strategies in models designed to reflect those patient profiles.

The companies said the approach could give drug developers a better way to test potential treatments before moving into clinical studies. It creates a feedback loop in which patient data can be used to develop research hypotheses, those hypotheses can be tested in laboratory models, and the findings can then be linked back to the patient populations where they may be relevant.

The collaboration highlights the growing use of artificial intelligence and 3D cancer models in drug discovery. By combining patient-derived biological insights with controlled laboratory models, Genialis and Inventia aim to support more informed decisions about potential therapies and patient selection in pancreatic cancer.