A Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development report indicates that pharmaceutical companies are increasingly using personalized medicine to develop drugs. According to Christopher-Paul Milne, associate director at the center, 12%–50% of drugs in development rely on a personalized medicine approach, which often involves tests to indicate which patients are most likely to experience benefits or side effects from the drug. Only 10% of drugs in late-stage clinical trials involve companion diagnostic tests. This percentage is expected to grow for drugs in earlier development stages. About 30% of surveyed companies said biomarkers are required for compounds in development. Half of clinical trials currently use participants’ DNA to discover biomarkers for effectiveness or safety. Some companies have an interest in biomarkers but are wary of a mandatory test in order to use a drug. However, rising health care costs could lead to drugs being reserved for those most likely to benefit.

Source: The New York Times