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:

• Molecular residual disease (MRD) status
  
  
  
  
• Longitudinal ctDNA trends
  
  
  
  
• Early molecular signals of treatment response or disease progression, which may precede
  
  radiographic findings

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.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2977317/TrilliumBiO_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/trilliumbio-and-oncobit-launch-advanced-uveal-melanoma-monitoring-solution-in-the-us-302769574.html

Thyssenkrupp zieht beim geplanten Verkauf seiner Stahlsparte an den indischen Konkurrenten Jindal vorerst die Reißleine. Beide Unternehmen haben vereinbart, die seit September laufenden Gespräche auszusetzen. Nach Angaben des Essener Industriekonzerns soll die Neuaufstellung von Thyssenkrupp Steel nun aus eigener Kraft konsequent weiterverfolgt werden. Konzernchef Miguel López betonte, die Voraussetzungen für eine profitable Fortführung des Geschäfts seien „so gut wie lange nicht mehr“.

Im Hintergrund steht ein deutlicher Stimmungsumschwung im europäischen Stahlsektor. Thyssenkrupp verweist auf „große Fortschritte bei der Neuausrichtung“ des Segments und ein deutlich verbessertes Umfeld. Die Europäische Union habe die Bedeutung der Stahlproduktion für die Resilienz industrieller Wertschöpfungsketten erkannt und den Willen bekundet, die europäische Stahlindustrie stärker gegen globale Überkapazitäten und Dumping abzuschirmen. Zudem will Brüssel die Umstellung auf eine klimafreundliche Stahlproduktion weiter unterstützen.

Auch operativ hat sich die Lage bei Thyssenkrupp Steel zuletzt aufgehellt. Die Sparte, historischer Kern des Ruhrkonzerns, legte im laufenden Geschäft zu. Parallel läuft jedoch ein tiefgreifender Umbau: Zur Sanierung des Bereichs sollen in den kommenden Jahren bis zu 11.000 der rund 26.000 Stellen gestrichen oder ausgelagert werden. López hatte bereits zuvor erklärt, je erfolgreicher die Neuausrichtung umgesetzt werde, desto attraktiver werde das Stahlgeschäft für Kapitalmarkt und Investoren – „ob mit oder ohne Jindal“.

Der vorläufige Verkaufsstopp bedeutet keinen endgültigen Verbleib der Stahlsparte im Konzern. Mittelfristig hält Thyssenkrupp an dem Ziel fest, sich vom Stahlgeschäft zu trennen. Gewerkschaften wie die IG Metall drängen derweil auf Klarheit und fordern ein Ende der Verkaufsüberlegungen ohne „Hintertür“. Sie verlangen Gespräche über ein Modell, mit dem sich der Stahlbereich eigenständig und aus eigener Kraft verselbstständigen könnte. Während frühere Versuche für einen Verkauf, ein Joint Venture oder einen Börsengang gescheitert sind, setzt das Management nun darauf, den Wert des Bereichs vor einem möglichen nächsten Schritt weiter zu steigern.