AI can find specialized clusters of immune cells in tumours

Tertiary Lymphoid Structures (TLS) are specialized immune cell clusters that can be seen in certain tumours. They are a major player in antitumor immune response: the presence of TLS has been associated with improved survival in several tumor types. TLS potentially indicates an enhanced immune response making it a possible target for improved response to immunotherapy.

Owkin has created TLS Detect RUO - an AI tool that detects TLS across tumor types from digitized H&E slides. This AI model could help select high-value subgroups of patients that are most likely to respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors being tested in clinical trials  - improving the statistical power of a trial.