ARPA-H Seeks Proposals for Tear Duct-Based Diagnostic System, Plus Custom Dosing Platform

ARPA-H announced Oct. 18 that it had launched a new program to develop a tear-based biomarker measurement system that can be inserted into the tear duct to provide continuous health monitoring, paired with an ultra-precise medication dosing system for a closed-loop delivery system.

The initiative is called the Ocular Laboratory for Analysis of Biomarkers (OCULAB) program.

ARPA-H, a federal accelerator created in 2022, said it anticipates providing multiple awards to potential developers. Available resources will depend on the quality of the proposals and the availability of funds.

ARPA-H said tears offer advantages diagnostically over blood: They are always accessible, can measure a variety of biomarkers, and provide a non-invasive testing method.

The OCULAB platform will first tackle dry eye disease. Ultimately, it intends to revolutionize how other ocular, neurologic, and systemic diseases are diagnosed, monitored, and treated.  

OCULAB Program Manager Calvin Roberts, MD, noted that the goal is for OCULAB also to be “collecting, integrating, and analyzing external biomarker data from the individual’s own wearable devices such as smart watches and rings.” 

ARPA-H stands for Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. The agency operates as an independent entity within the National Institutes of Health.