What is Precision Medicine?

Precision medicine, also known as personalized medicine, is a medical approach that tailors treatment and preventive measures to the individual characteristics of each patient. This approach involves the use of genetic, epigenetic, and molecular information to understand the underlying causes of disease, predict the likelihood of disease, and determine the most effective treatment for a specific patient.

One of the key aspects of precision medicine is the use of biomarkers, which are measurable characteristics that can be used to identify a specific disease or condition. These biomarkers can be used to help doctors predict which patients are most likely to develop a certain condition, and to customize treatment to the individual patient.

Scientists looking at images of a brain on a computer screen

Another important aspect of precision medicine is the use of genetic information to predict the likelihood of disease and to identify patients who are at high risk. Genetic testing can also be used to predict which patients are likely to respond to certain treatments and which treatments are most likely to be effective for a specific patient.

Precision medicine can be leveraged to develop targeted therapies for specific diseases. For example, the genetic material (c-DNA) from a tumor can be used to identify if a drug will respond to that tumor by using specific targeting therapies.

Precision medicine is still a relatively new field, but it holds great promise for improving the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of many diseases. It has the potential to lead to more effective treatments, fewer side effects, and a higher quality of life for patients.

Next Generation Sequencing Tests

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) tests allow for fast generation of unique information about an individual’s DNA. This information can be used by physicians and researchers to identify genetic variants in patients thus helping them diagnose, treat, and understand more about human diseases.

Disease Management Focused Drug Development

Precision medicine drug development involves several stages designed to help identify the most effective treatment for a specific patient. These stages include: