EMPIRI, Inc

EMPIRI, Inc. is a precision oncology company that developed the E-Slice platform, an ex vivo system for testing therapeutic responses in intact human tumor tissue. By preserving the native tumor microenvironment—including stroma, extracellular matrix, and endogenous immune infiltrates—the platform avoids the need for tumor dissociation. This allows the company to deliver functional, patient-specific drug sensitivity data, such as growth curves and immunotherapy response profiles, within 7 to 12 days. The technology is compatible with a wide range of modalities, including chemotherapy, immunotherapies, ADCs, and combination therapies, and supports downstream analyses like spatial transcriptomics and scRNA-seq.

The platform helps pharmaceutical and academic partners de-risk drug development by providing human tumor-derived data that contextualizes preclinical findings and informs translational research before clinical trials. For clinical use, EMPIRI offers oncologists functional insights to guide treatment decisions when genomic profiling is inconclusive. The company’s methodology has been validated through peer-reviewed research, NIH NCI and NSF-funded projects, and various clinical collaborations, including work with MD Anderson Cancer Center and Houston Methodist. Through its 10x Genomics certified service status and Scientist.com storefront, EMPIRI provides end-to-end project management, from tissue procurement and logistics to data analysis and interpretation.