A safe, minimally invasive test to predict uveal melanoma metastasis risk from eye fluid
Official title: CLIA-LDT Development and Clinical Validation of anAqueous Humor-Based Multiplex Assay for Uveal Melanoma Metastatic Risk Prediction
Funded at Olmeda Biosciences LLC · NIH-11312222 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new test using a sample from the eye’s aqueous fluid could predict if uveal melanoma is likely to spread, without needing a risky biopsy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Olmeda Biosciences LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,028,948 |
| NIH project number | 2R42CA291243-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11312222 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with uveal melanoma who are undergoing evaluation for metastasis risk and could benefit from noninvasive risk stratification.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without uveal melanoma or those not eligible for aqueous humor testing would not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Uveal melanoma can spread and harm patients, and current risk testing requires invasive eye tissue samples. This project aims to validate a 21-protein assay in aqueous humor that can classify metastatic risk without a tumor biopsy, using a CLIA-compliant lab workflow. Researchers will conduct analytical validation, optimize collection and handling in real-world settings, and test the approach with multiple patient samples across centers to compare with existing gene-based tests. If successful, this could lead to a safer, faster, and less invasive way to guide treatment decisions for people with this eye cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive accurate metastasis risk information from a simple eye-fluid test, reducing biopsy-related risks.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed analytical feasibility; the clinical validation in a CLIA-LDT is the next step and will determine real-world success.
Where this research is happening
-
Olmeda Biosciences LLC
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Liya — Olmeda Biosciences LLC
- Study coordinator: Xu, Liya
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Targeting serotonin receptors to boost a cancer cell weakness in uveal melanoma
A small funding project tests whether blocking the serotonin HTR2B receptor can weaken mutant GNAQ/GNA11-driven uveal melanoma cells to help fight metastatic eye cancer.
-
Dual mRNA therapeutics aimed at liver metastasis from uveal melanoma
A new approach uses two mRNA-based therapies designed to target liver metastases in adults with uveal melanoma.
-
Improving treatment response in uveal melanoma by targeting Syk with new translational models
A Mayo Clinic team is exploring whether blocking the Syk protein can make uveal melanoma more responsive to PARP inhibitors in patients who have this eye cancer that often spreads.
-
How uveal melanoma cells send signals that help them spread
This project follows adults with uveal melanoma and tracks signals in eye fluid and blood to find early signs that the cancer may be spreading.
-
Targeting stress defenses in eye melanoma that spreads to the liver
Researchers are working to weaken tumor cells' defenses against oxidative damage so liver metastases from uveal (eye) melanoma in adults become more vulnerable to treatment.
-
A new test using eye fluid to predict the risk of uveal melanoma spreading
This study is looking for a gentler way to check if uveal melanoma, a type of eye cancer, might spread by testing proteins in the eye's fluid instead of using painful needle biopsies, helping doctors make better treatment choices while keeping patients safe.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.