Theranostics paves way for personalised medicine in Europe
Its full potential is yet to be tapped, says Frost & Sullivan
Theranostics plays a crucial role in drug development, primarily in the form of biomarker discovery, target selection and validation of biomarkers, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan.
The research organisation says theranostics is an emerging field in clinical diagnostics, focusing on developing specific analysis to predict the most suitable drug for a patient along with assessing its effectiveness. It uses molecular assays to determine the optimum dose of drugs for a patient, paving the way for personalised medicine.
Key applications are covered in the cancer, cardiovascular and neuro disorders disease areas.
‘The emergence of personalised medicine with the help of theranostics is a milestone in the drug therapy process,’ says Frost & Sullivan research analyst Gayathry Ramachandran. ‘Its targeted approach enables the prescription of only those drugs that are linked to a specific biomarker assay, thereby benefiting the physicians, patients, insurance, and regulatory agencies.’
As more biomarkers are discovered and their importance known, the need for specific theranostic assays is likely to increase.
However, Frost & Sullivan’s report, Strategic Analysis of the European Markets for Theranostics, says the high cost associated with genetic testing for the identification of biomarkers poses a challenge to the success of theranostics. The uncertainty associated with the clinical utility of biomarkers discovered will have a negative impact on the return-on-investment.
‘Theranostics is a well understood science, yet pharmaceutical companies have been late adopters,’ says Ramachandran.
Improved cooperation between drug and diagnostic companies will enhance the success of theranostics, the report finds.
‘Companies focusing on theranostics with already licensed drugs can play a key role in reaching out to larger pharmaceutical companies,’ adds Ramachandran. ‘Pharmaceutical companies should be aware of the importance of linking diagnostics to the drug development process.’
