Customized In Vivo Ocular Models ace

- By Animal Species
- By Disease

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* Services of Interest: Customized Animal Models of Ocular Tumors
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* All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
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Customized Animal Models of Ocular Tumors

Ace Therapeutics develops customized animal models of ocular tumors spanning retinoblastoma, uveal melanoma, and other intraocular malignancies, capturing key features such as pigmentation, local invasion, angiogenesis, and metastatic potential. Within our preclinical services, these ocular tumor models serve as in vivo tools for hypothesis-driven studies on pathway dependence, drug resistance, and combination regimens. We help researchers evaluate small molecules, biologics, and gene-based therapies in disease-relevant ocular settings and investigate mechanistic readouts to inform subsequent oncology study design.

Understanding Ocular Tumors: Mechanisms and Preclinical Needs

Ocular tumors, primarily represented by retinoblastoma (RB) in children and uveal melanoma (UM) in adults, arise from retinal progenitor cells or uveal melanocytes and are driven by distinct genetic programs that shape growth, invasion, and metastatic behavior. These malignancies can display vitreous or subretinal seeding, optic nerve involvement, angiogenesis, and a strong tendency toward extraocular or hepatic dissemination. Despite available local therapies and chemotherapy, substantial unmet needs remain. Preclinical animal models that recapitulate intraocular growth, invasion, and spread are essential for mechanistic studies and evaluation of new therapeutic modalities and ocular delivery strategies.

Fig. 1. Schematics of Retinoblastoma and Uveal Melanoma. Fig. 1. Schematic drawings of uveal melanoma and retinoblastoma. a, b Cross section views of uveal melanoma (a) and retinoblastoma (b). c, d Front views of uveal melanoma (c) and retinoblastoma (d). The tumors are indicated with white arrows. (Jo DH, et al., 2019)

Explore Our Animal Models of Ocular Tumors

Our scientific team is dedicated to the development of robust animal models of ocular tumors that recapitulate key genetic, histopathologic, and phenotypic features observed in human disease, supporting meaningful preclinical evaluation. Covering both pediatric and adult indications, our ocular tumor models are designed to capture key aspects of intraocular malignancies arising in the retina, uveal tract, and adjacent ocular compartments. We support preclinical ocular tumor studies with longitudinal monitoring of tumor progression and phenotypic changes, evaluation of responses to test articles, and characterization of ocular exposure and on-target effects using integrated imaging, tissue-based, and molecular assessments.

Ocular Tumor Animal Model Evaluation Services

To support preclinical ocular tumor studies, Ace Therapeutics integrates specialized ophthalmic imaging with functional and tissue-based evaluations, helping establish in vivo and ex vivo endpoints that describe tumor burden, ocular structure and function, and on-target effects.

Service Category	Available Services
In Vivo Ocular Imaging	Color fundus photography: Longitudinal visualization of intraocular tumor size, location, and gross morphology. Optical coherence tomography (OCT): Assessment of retinal architecture, tumor–retina interface, and associated subretinal or vitreous changes. Fluorescein angiography: Evaluation of tumor perfusion, vascular leakage, and neovascularization.
Functional and Ophthalmic Assessment	Electroretinography (ERG): Evaluation of retinal function to help distinguish antitumor activity from retinal toxicity. Intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring: Detection of tumor-associated changes in ocular pressure during the study. Slit-lamp anterior segment evaluation: Documentation of corneal, anterior chamber, iris, and lens findings.
Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry	Ocular histopathology (H&E and special stains): Characterization of tumor margins, invasion patterns, and ocular tissue integrity. Immunohistochemistry analysis for proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis markers: Quantitative assessment of biological responses at the tissue level.
Molecular and Exposure-related Analyses	Molecular assays: Pathway-focused or target-focused analyses (e.g., signaling proteins, gene expression panels) to complement histology and imaging. Ocular tissue and fluid sampling: Measurement of local exposure and pharmacodynamic markers in tumor tissue, retina, or ocular fluids.

Ace Therapeutics combines customized animal models of ocular tumors with specialized ophthalmic technologies to provide integrated preclinical services supporting research in retinoblastoma, uveal melanoma, and other intraocular malignancies. If you are planning or refining a preclinical ocular tumor program, please contact us to discuss how we can tailor our experimental models and endpoints to your objectives.

References

Nag A, Khetan V. Retinoblastoma – A comprehensive review, update and recent advances. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2024 Jun 1; 72(6): 778-788.
Jo DH, Kim JH, Kim JH. Targeting tyrosine kinases for treatment of ocular tumors. Arch Pharm Res. 2019 Apr; 42(4): 305-318.
Kaliki S, Shields CL. Uveal melanoma: relatively rare but deadly cancer. Eye (Lond). 2017 Feb; 31(2): 241-257.

For Research Use Only.