Oncular™ expands access to advanced molecular testing to support patient management for a rare eye cancer
ROCKVILLE, Md. and ZURICH, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TrilliumBiO, a leader in biomarker discovery and precision diagnostics, and Oncobit, a Swiss precision oncology company, today announced the launch of Oncular™, bringing Oncobit's uveal melanoma monitoring solution to the U.S. through TrilliumBiO's multi-accredited laboratory. The assay expands access to advanced molecular testing for patients with uveal melanoma, a rare and historically underserved cancer.
Oncular™ brings Oncobit's proprietary platform for personalized cancer monitoring to physicians nationwide, enabling real‑time, quantitative assessment of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) from a simple blood draw. Designed to complement conventional imaging approaches, the assay provides precise insights into disease dynamics, supporting informed patient management across the care continuum.
Unlike traditional monitoring methods that rely primarily on imaging or nonspecific blood markers, Oncular™ combines personalized digital PCR with standardized, cloud‑based data analysis to deliver sensitive and reproducible molecular results. This approach addresses key limitations of existing monitoring strategies, including limited sensitivity, delayed detection of disease progression, high cost, and invasiveness. The approach is designed to be both time- and cost-efficient while remaining scalable for routine clinical practice.
Oncular™ delivers molecular monitoring insights, including:
Published research has demonstrated that ctDNA dynamics measured using Oncobit's proprietary platform can predict treatment response and disease progression in metastatic uveal melanoma, underscoring the clinical relevance of this testing approach.1,2,3
"Launching Oncular™ in the U.S. reflects our commitment to translating innovative science into high-quality diagnostic solutions for patients with rare diseases," said Laura Vivian, CEO of TrilliumBiO. "By making this assay available through our laboratory, we are helping clinicians access reliable insights to better understand disease behavior and support patient care."
The launch combines TrilliumBiO's expertise in assay implementation and clinical laboratory operations with Oncobit's leadership in precision oncology and ctDNA-based testing. Oncular™ is a laboratory‑developed test (LDT) performed within TrilliumBiO's CLIA‑certified and CAP-accredited laboratory infrastructure, ensuring consistency, quality, and nationwide availability.
"We are thrilled to see our uveal melanoma assay reach clinical practice in the U.S. with TrilliumBiO," said Dr. Claudia Scheckel, CEO of Oncobit. "The launch of Oncular™ represents an important step toward expanding access to advanced molecular testing for this rare cancer and supports continued progress in biomarker development and advancing precision oncology."
Together, TrilliumBiO and Oncobit aim to improve disease understanding and patient management in uveal melanoma by providing clinicians with sensitive, informative molecular testing to support evidence-based care decisions.
For more information on assay availability or how to order Oncular™, visit Oncular™ - TrilliumBiO, contact TrilliumBiO at oncular@trilliumbio.com, or call 1-888-261-2812.
About TrilliumBiO
TrilliumBiO is a translational diagnostics company transforming how biomarkers are integrated into patient care. The company's unified platform spans discovery, validation, and commercialization to deliver clinically actionable diagnostics. These solutions identify at-risk patients, monitor disease, and guide emerging therapies supporting a more personalized, data-driven model of care.
With a scalable, high-performing laboratory infrastructure, TrilliumBiO offers a portfolio of specialized, clinically tailored assays. Its partnership-driven model enables the rapid development and deployment of diagnostics in complex and underserved disease areas.
Headquartered in Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., TrilliumBiO operates within the nation's third-largest biopharma hub. Learn more at www.TrilliumBiO.com.
About Oncobit
Oncobit, a leading Swiss precision oncology company, has developed a scalable, data-driven cancer monitoring platform based on the quantitative and highly sensitive detection of cancer markers in liquid biopsies. By focusing on the most clinically impactful biomarkers and leveraging cutting-edge technology, Oncobit provides cost-effective and time-efficient solutions that enable close monitoring of a patient's cancer and support optimized therapy management. Its cloud-based data analysis and interpretation software, trained on both healthy and patient datasets, ensures robust and standardized result reporting. Oncobit's diagnostic solutions are trusted by a growing number of pharmaceutical companies, clinical laboratories, and hospital institutions. Learn more at www.Oncobit.com.
TrilliumBiO Contact:
Olivia McCann
PR & Marketing Strategy Manager
olivia.mccann@trilliumbio.com
Oncobit Contact:
Dr. Claudia Scheckel
CEO
claudia.scheckel@oncobit.com
1 Kadefors M, et al. Immuno-Oncology and Technology. 2025;28(C):101079. doi:10.1016/j.iotech.2025.101079.
2 Machiraju D, et al. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2025;44:213. doi:10.1186/s13046-025-03451-2.
3 Ramelyte E, Koett, J, et al. Clinical Cancer Research. Accepted.
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Forschende der Universität Zürich (UZH) haben einen Ansatz entwickelt, mit dem sich akuter Schlafmangel im Speichel nachweisen lässt. In einer aktuellen Studie identifizierte das Team um Thomas Krämer vom Institut für Rechtsmedizin eine Art metabolischen Fingerabdruck, der starke Übermüdung zuverlässig anzeigt. Die Resultate wurden im Fachmagazin „Journal of Proteome Research“ veröffentlicht und von Krämer als „Meilenstein für die forensische Forschung“ bezeichnet.
Für die Untersuchung rekrutierten die Wissenschaftler 20 gesunde junge Männer, die normalerweise sieben bis neun Stunden pro Nacht schlafen. Die Probanden durchliefen drei Szenarien: eine Nacht komplett ohne Schlaf, vier Nächte mit jeweils zwei Stunden weniger Schlaf als üblich sowie eine Kontrollbedingung mit rund acht Stunden Schlaf. Nach jeder Phase wurden Speichelproben entnommen und mittels hochauflösender Massenspektrometrie analysiert. Mithilfe von maschinellem Lernen suchte das Team nach molekularen Mustern, die spezifisch auf akuten Schlafentzug hinweisen.
Die Auswertung ergab, dass starke Übermüdung rund zehn Prozent aller Biomoleküle im Speichel beeinflusst. Aus zehntausenden gemessenen Molekülen filterten die Forschenden schließlich zehn spezifische Biomarker heraus, die als Signatur für akuten Schlafmangel dienen könnten. Diese erstmals im Speichel identifizierten direkten Marker für Übermüdung unter alltagsnahen Bedingungen gelten aus Sicht der UZH als Grundlage für neue diagnostische Verfahren.
Langfristig zielt das Projekt auf die Entwicklung eines Schnelltests, der vor Ort eingesetzt werden könnte – etwa im Strassenverkehr, in sicherheitskritischen Berufen oder bei der forensischen Abklärung von Unfällen. Die Forschenden betonen jedoch, dass es sich derzeit um eine Grundlagenstudie mit einer kleinen und homogenen Probandengruppe handelt. Bevor ein solcher Speicheltest in der Praxis Anwendung findet, seien umfangreichere Untersuchungen mit grösseren und vielfältigeren Bevölkerungsgruppen erforderlich.
