“The application of personalised medicine is likely to improve patient care as well as lower healthcare costs.” These words were part of the founding mission statement of EPEMED, the European association for clinicians, SME biotechs and major pharma and diagnostic companies. The association was formed in August 2009 to provide a platform for harmonisation in the development and implementation of value-based diagnostics across Europe.
Making personalised medicine a reality is the bold remit of a body that has set itself multiple tasks while stepping into largely uncharted territory.
As parts of its role as a central forum for progressing personalised medicine, the association seeks o determine optimal routes for delivering such treatments and generally promote a better understanding of the development of personalised medicine through the creation and application of advanced diagnostic tests. These are laudable aims and essential foundation stones for the next stage in the development of the pharmaceutical industry. ..... Read more
Pfizer and ExonHit to research Alzheimer's disease biomarkers 12 October 2011 France's ExonHit Therapeutics has received a boost for its Genome-Wide SpliceArray (GWSA) platform, after Pfizer entered a research agreement with the company to identify biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. ExonHit said it hoped the identification of new Alzheimer's disease biomarkers would lead to the potential development of prognostic tests for patients. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Ezose Sciences in deal with Merck to apply glycan biomarker discovery in diabetes 12 December 2011 The US biotech, Ezose Sciences, wholly owned by Shionogi & Co and focused exclusively on the emerging field of glycomics research, has entered into an agreement with Merck & Co to collaborate on biomarker discovery research for diabetes. The collaboration seeks to identify glycans, the complex carbohydrate component of glycoproteins, and potentially glycan markers associated with a particular disease state.
Biocartis wraps up $100m in Series C financing 18 November 2011 Swiss molecular diagnostics specialist Biocartis has just closed a €71m ($100m) series C funding round, which included existing investor and collaborator Johnson & Johnson. It is one of the largest fundraisings in the life sciences sector this year, which is toppedby the $150 million series C round into medtech drug delivery company Valeritas in September and just behind the $107m raised by heart device firm Cameron Health in May.
AstraZeneca 'ahead of schedule' in development of personalised medicines 12 October 2011 AstraZeneca has beat a self-imposed target of having half of the product candidates in its portfolio associated with patient stratification tools by about three years, its head of personalised management Dr Robert Holland has told Scrip.
Come on in, UK Biobank urges researchers everywhere 15 December 2011 Following five years of collecting medical data from some half a million people, UK Biobank is opening its doors to researchers and is keen to emphasise that it wants to be used as widely as possible.
There's much more at stake in the outcome of a case before the US Supreme Court, which is hearing oral arguments today, than just the question of whether Prometheus Laboratories' PRO-PredictRx test for determining proper dosing of thiopurines is patentable.
Perfect companions? Peter Charlish Traditional business models have created a mismatch in expectations between the pharmaceutical and diagnostics sectors. The growth of the companion diagnostics market, key to the future of personalised medicine, will depend on better alignment between the two, explains Dr Peter Charlish. Read more • EU companion diagnostic regulation • US companion diagnostic regulation
The potential of Alzheimer's treatments Daniel Chancellor Recent clinical research in Alzheimer's disease is best-known for numerous high-profile failures of would-be blockbuster drugs. But behind the headlines, promising biomarker research is beginning to surpass the development of new disease-modifying therapies. Daniel Chancellor argues that a battery of diagnostic tests may allow for earlier intervention and better treatment outcomes. Read more
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Editor: Alex Shimmings Contributors: Francesca Bruce, Nancy Faigen, Ian Haydock, John Hodgson, Joanne Payne, Ian Schofield, Alex Shimmings, Sukaina Virji, Mike Ward
Multimedia and Graphic Design Videographer: Dale Perkins Analysts Peter Charlish, Daniel Chancellor
Clinica Medtech Intelligence Editor: Tina Tan Contributors: Madeleine Armstrong, Bernard Murphy, Phil Greenfield
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AstraZeneca 'ahead of schedule' in development of personalised medicines 
