US researchers who found vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) played a critical role in melanoma cells metastasising to organs outside the eye are trialling a new drug to prevent it.

Using an organ-on-chip laboratory test, researchers from the University of Illinois, Chicago, identified how VEGF causes new blood vessels to form but also weakens their walls. Trialling the treatment of melanoma cells with aflibercept, they discovered this prevented the cancer cells moving into the surrounding blood vessels. So the research team, led by assistant professor of pharmacology and regenerative medicine Kaori Yamada, developed a peptide to interrupt VEGF signalling. “One of the advantages is that we can use the peptide as an eye drop, while current therapies require injection into the eye,” said A/Prof Yamada.

The new peptide was effective at stopping cancer cells from escaping into the blood in both laboratory and animal studies, reported the team. In future experiments, they will look at how it performs against different types of ocular melanoma, as the disease can originate from different genetic mutations, said A/Prof Yamada.

The full study was published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.