Translational in vitro research: integrating 3D drug discovery and development processes into the drug development pipeline.

•Identification of the need to harmonize validation criteria for 3D tissue models for preclinical drug discovery.•A translational capacity model is proposed based on quantitative equivalency measures of selected responses of 3D in vitro and in vivo models.•There is a need to establish a diversity of compounds to measure efficacy and toxicity in 3D in vitro models using quantitative equivalency measures.•Consortiums of academic, industrial and government scientists to identify and harmonize validation criteria for the rapidly developing 3D tissue models provides an ideal venue to enable harmonization validation criteria.