Overcome Tumor Complexity. Accelerate Personalized Cancer Therapies.

More Intelligent, Faster, Lower-Risk Drug Development at Scale

Transforming oncology drug discovery, validation and development through advanced Functional Precision Medicine

The oncology R&D landscape demands a faster, more predictive path forward. First Ascent Biomedical replaces outdated preclinical proxies with patient-derived models that reflect the true biological complexity of human tumors—empowering better decisions, earlier in development.

The Drug Prediction Platform (DxPP) from First Ascent Biomedical enables pharmaceutical and biotech partners to test drug candidates against live, patient-derived cancer cells—delivering prioritized, biologically validated insights in approximately 10 days or less. By combining cancer-cell testing, AI and genomics, the First Ascent platform enables pharmaceutical partners to mitigate risk while accelerating drug development—continuously enriched by every additional biological response.

Our Drug Prediction Platform provides real-time pharmacological and multi-omics pre-clinical data that support: drug development, repurposing and repositioning; expanding access and indications for use; mechanism-driven drug combination design; explainable multi-omics biomarker development; as well as trial pre-enrollment patient screening and companion diagnostics development.

To date, we have completed therapeutic development projects with eight biotech and pharmaceutical partners. Additionally, we have a growing biobank of patient-derived samples, and pharmacogenomic biomarker AI/ML for preclinical and clinical datasets of all sizes.

Our Drug Prediction Platform provides real-time pharmacological and multi-omics pre-clinical data that support: drug development, repurposing and repositioning; expanding access and indications for use; mechanism-driven drug combination design; explainable multi-omics biomarker development; as well as trial pre-enrollment patient screening and companion diagnostics development.

To date, we have completed therapeutic development projects with eight biotech and pharmaceutical partners. Additionally, we have a growing biobank of patient-derived samples, and pharmacogenomic biomarker AI/ML for preclinical and clinical datasets of all sizes.

How it Works

Collect a fresh biopsy sample for target cancers from solid or hematologic cancers

DxPP Pre-Clinical Development Trial Pre-Screen

Compounds and combinations are tested ex vivo

The DxPP Platform delivers prioritized insights in target populations in an average of 10 days

Our DxPP Accelerates Every Phase of the Oncology Drug Development Process

Partner with First Ascent to:

De-risk Phase I trials with human-relevant tumor models

Strengthen regulatory submissions, supporting New Drug Application (IND) submissions, FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation, Orphan Drug Designation and PREA compliance as well as NIH Precision Medicine Initiatives.
Discover novel drug combinations and pursue label expansion opportunities across new indications
Uncover functional biomarkers tied to actual cancer behavior, no longer relying on predictive models
Reduce trial failures with better patient targeting and design

Proven. Peer-Reviewed. Ready to Scale.

Grounded in Live Biology—Not Simulation

Unlike genomics-only platforms or simulated AI models, First Ascent data is grounded in real cancer cell response. Validated, published, and actionable in near real time, we deliver on the promise to transform the clinical trial process by validating drug response in controlled settings against a selected patient population.

Hard Science, Real World Validation

Backed by top journals and trusted by global pharma.

Hard Science, Real World Validation

Backed by top journals and trusted by global pharma.

Faster, More Effective Development

By accurately predicting drug response in a near-human microenvironment, reduces early-stage timelines and costs, generating the data to accelerate FDA submissions and market entry.