Since 2015, we have helped biotech and pharma companies discover novel oncology targets and advance cancer immunotherapies through IND-enabling studies.
In clinical trials, we support cancer centers and industry sponsors with biomarker analysis in peripheral and tumor samples — guiding patient selection and profiling clinical response.
Alban Bessede, founder and CEO, on the three types of questions Explicyte has been answering for biotech and pharma sponsors since 2015 — and on the data science layer that ties them together.
Human FFPE Archives
Identify and validate novel oncology targets in tumor and healthy human biospecimens — supporting your earliest portfolio decisions.
Cell-based & patient-derived models
Assess the anti-tumor efficacy, safety, and mechanism of action of your candidate(s) in 2D/3D immuno-oncology models.
Patient samples
Select patients with novel biomarkers, monitor early signals of pharmacodynamic activity, document response with advanced pre-post studies.
We don't have salespeople. Once the NDA is signed, a PhD-level scientist explores the options with you to meet your scientific objectives within your timeline and budget. No overselling—we go into the detail and weigh the trade-offs together.
We have a deep catalog of validated assays and platforms, but we're not a portfolio CRO. Each study protocol is customized to your specific question rather than fitted to something off the shelf.
We stay in touch through regular updates and interim reports, so the study can be adjusted as preliminary results come in—no surprises at the end.
We don't just hand over raw data. Our in-house data scientists deliver publication-ready figures with full materials and methods, the study director prepares a discussion of the results, and we review everything with your team at the close of the study.
For ten years we've played the long game: solid data that meets industry and academic standards, and scientific relationships built on trust. 80% of our business comes from returning sponsors.
Explicyte is a preclinical and translational CRO specialized in precision oncology and immuno-oncology. We support drug developers from target and biomarker discovery through preclinical efficacy, safety, and mechanism-of-action studies, and into translational research and clinical trials with multi-omics analyses, digital pathology, and bioinformatics.
Yes. We support sponsors across both preclinical and clinical-stage programs. In preclinical development, we work from early target and biomarker discovery through to advanced proof-of-concept studies in patient-derived models to support IND-enabling decisions. In clinical-stage programs, we develop and implement biomarker assays for patient stratification, early pharmacodynamic monitoring, and pre/post-treatment response characterization.
Depending on the project, we work with a wide range of sample types, including human or mouse FFPE tissues, fresh or frozen specimens, blood-derived samples, and in vitro 2D or 3D immune-tumor co-culture models. Our team helps define the most relevant analytical strategy based on your sample type, study stage, and scientific objectives.
We combine preclinical modeling platforms with advanced analytical technologies for tumor and peripheral sample analysis. In preclinical research, we have strong expertise in PBMC immune cell isolation, immune cell differentiation, and immune-tumor co-culture systems, and we are extending these capabilities to immune-native patient-derived models. For translational analyses, we use digital pathology, including multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), as well as bulk transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, and multi-omics data integration. Since 2025, Explicyte has been a 10x Genomics Certified Service Provider across Xenium, Visium HD, and Chromium X.
Yes. FFPE tissues are one of our core areas of expertise for spatial biology and transcriptomic analyses. We advise on sample requirements and inclusion criteria, perform key quality checks such as H&E pathology review and RNA quality assessment, and use standardized in-house procedures for FFPE sectioning and storage to help reduce batch effects. We then select the most appropriate platform and analysis strategy for your project, including Xenium, Visium HD, GeoMx, digital pathology, bulk transcriptomics, and single-cell workflows such as Chromium X. Our bioinformatics team processes and analyzes the data to deliver interpretable, decision-ready results.
Yes. We support early-phase clinical trials with tissue-based and peripheral biomarker services. For tissue analyses, we develop and perform mIF and IHC panels within an ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 quality framework to support patient selection and translational endpoints. For peripheral samples, we can monitor pharmacodynamic biomarkers using single-cell RNA sequencing, multiplex flow cytometry, and Olink proteomics. We also conduct in-depth pre/post-treatment studies using single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, supported by our in-house data science team to generate actionable, publication-ready results.
Yes. We provide data analysis as a standalone service for datasets generated either at Explicyte or by external partners. Our team can process and analyze digitized IF/IHC slides, 10x Genomics datasets from Xenium, Visium, and Chromium, as well as GeoMx and bulk RNA-seq data. Depending on your needs, we can support data preprocessing and quality control, primary and downstream analyses, or deliver fully customized reports integrating omics, imaging, and clinical data.
Explicyte is the only CRO dedicated exclusively to oncology since 2015, combining preclinical and translational expertise under one roof. Our team developed in vitro and in vivo models for the first wave of immune checkpoint inhibitors and has continuously expanded its preclinical capabilities to support newer modalities such as ADCs, bispecifics, and cancer vaccines as they advance toward IND. Since joining the Institut Bergonié Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2019, we have also built a strong track record in the analysis of patient samples with cancer centers and pharma sponsors, combining transcriptomics, digital pathology, and bioinformatics to study tumor biology and treatment response. This work has contributed to more than 40 publications since 2020, including in leading immuno-oncology journals.
Yes. Although Explicyte has built strong collaborations with French comprehensive cancer centers, including Institut Bergonié and Gustave Roussy, as well as French biotech companies such as Cure51, Domain Therapeutics, and MaaT Pharma, our activities are international. We also collaborate with leading cancer centers outside France – see for instance our recent publication with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). In addition, we regularly co-author ASCO and AACR posters with international pharmaceutical companies based in the US and Europe. We also have a strong track record working with biotech companies across Asia-Pacific, including in Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
Explicyte is an independent, privately owned CRO working on a fee-for-service basis. We work under strict confidentiality and do not retain rights to our clients’ IP or seek royalties on the programs we support. Our role is to provide high-quality scientific services and decision-ready data aligned with our clients’ objectives.
We work with international biotech companies, pharmaceutical companies, AI startups, and academic or hospital-based translational research teams developing precision oncology therapies, biomarkers, and companion diagnostic strategies.
Yes. This is a core part of how we work. After reviewing your project, a PhD-level scientist explores different strategies to best address your biological question while optimizing cost and turnaround time. We then discuss the different options with your team and refine the study design accordingly. We can also tailor the reporting schedule, project coordination, and data analysis plan to your specific needs.
For preclinical oncology projects, we use well-characterized models and standardized assays supported by appropriate donor characterization, assay controls, and replicates. For translational and clinical biomarker projects, we operate within an ISO-certified quality management system that ensures traceability, consistency, and robust workflows from sample registration through to analysis and final reporting.
Contact us to arrange an initial discussion about your oncology research or drug development project. If needed, we can first put an NDA in place so you can confidentially share more about your target, indication, compound, preferred models or sample types, project objectives, and timeline or budget constraints. A PhD-level study manager will then review your requirements and prepare a tailored study plan with options aligned with your scientific goals, timelines, and budget.
