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Publication
The AAPS Journal

Single-Eye NfL Measurement Using NULISA Technology Enables Reduction in Animal Use

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  • April 14, 2026
  • Saloumeh K. Fischer, et al., Genentech
Topic/Product:
NfL Homebrew
Disease Area:
Eye Disease
Sample Type:
aqueous humor (murine)

Abstract

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a pivotal biomarker for neuroaxonal damage. However, its quantification in volume-limited matrices, such as mouse aqueous humor (AH) (2 to 6 µL per eye), has historically required pooling samples from multiple animals due to the low sensitivity and high sample volume requirements of standard immunoassays. Such pooling increases animal requirements and precludes individual-level data analysis. To overcome these limitations, we developed and evaluated a NfL HomeBrew (HB) assay using the NUcleic acid-Linked Immuno-Sandwich Assay (NULISA) technology. NULISA offers superior analytical sensitivity and requires less than 10 µL volume. Our results demonstrate that the NfL HB NULISA performs comparably to the Simoa reference assay and provides superior sensitivity to the Ella platform. Crucially, the assay reliably quantified NfL in as little as 2 µL of individual mouse AH, with 90% of samples yielding quantifiable results. This approach eliminates the need for sample pooling, effectively reducing animal use by up to eightfold while preserving data integrity at the individual animal level. These findings establish the NULISA platform as a highly sensitive, ethically advantageous solution for neurobiological research in volume-restricted models.

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Authors & Affiliations

Jeongsup Shim¹, Jessica Chen¹, Vahan B. Indjeian², and Saloumeh K. Fischer¹

¹ BioAnalytical Sciences, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
² Translational Medicine, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA

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Steve Williams, MD, PhD

CSO

Dr. Willams serves as the company’s Chief Scientific Officer. He was previously Chief Medical Officer at Standard Biotools and at SomaLogic where he pioneered the discipline for discovery and validation of predictive, diagnostic and prognostic models using machine-learning applied to large-plex proteomics. 20 such tests were used for drug characterization, safety and efficacy when incorporated in clinical drug trials at Pharma/Biotech and 17 different multivariate tests were validated and translated into regulated healthcare uses. Prior to SomaLogic, Dr. Williams was at Pfizer in the UK and the USA as a clinical triallist in Translational Medicine, and subsequently as VP, Global Clinical Technology. He sat on the National Advisory Council for the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, the Executive Committee for the FNIH Biomarkers Consortium, and worked with FDA and PhRMA on developing evidentiary standards for biomarker qualification. Dr. William’s medical training was in London, at Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, followed by a PhD in medicine/physiology at the same institution and training in Radiology at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Steve is co-inventor on 26 proteomics patents and author/coauthor on multiple foundational proteomics manuscripts.

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Justin McAnear

CFO

Mr. McAnear serves as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. He brings over 25 years of operational and financial leadership experience across various sectors and was instrumental in taking 10x Genomics public in 2019, serving as its CFO for over five years. Mr. McAnear served for over 3 years as Tesla’s VP of Worldwide Finance and Operations, supporting landmark initiatives such as the Model X and Model 3 launches and Solar City acquisition.  He also held various roles at Apple and J&J earlier in his career and served as a naval officer and aviator for over 9 years.