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THE PHARMA REVIEW
(SEPTEMBER 2009) |
Molecular Biomarkers: Easing
the Diagnostic Process
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Suraj Ramanathan |
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A
molecular biomarker can be defined as an indicator of a
particular disease state within an organism. They are
primarily used in the diagnosis of a vast array of
medical complications ranging from cancer to arthritis.
Apart from this, biomarkers (also known as
bio-signatures) are also functional as molecular
indicators in the identification of environmental
exposures of compounds or microorganisms for
epidemiological studies and for environmental disasters
such as oil spills. Over the turn of the century, the
usage of molecular biomarkers for diagnostic
applications has seemingly tripled, thanks to the
introduction of novel assay systems and automated
platforms which contribute to faster and accurate
results. Improvements in technology and analytical
clarity have allowed users to generate data in
real-time, accelerating decision making and improving
productivity.
A Brief Overview
Initially biomarkers were applied in the identification
of blood glucose and cholesterol levels for the
diagnosis of diabetes and cardiovascular complications.
The introduction of micro-arrays in the mid 90’s
revolutionised the way diagnosis was carried out paving
opportunities for automated platforms. The integration
of technologies such as proteomics, metabolomics and
genomics has allowed researchers to capture the
molecular fingerprints of specific diseases and classify
them based on the genetic and molecular defects they
harbor. The current areas which are showing increasing
interests with respect to diagnosis applying molecular
biomarkers include cancer, neurodegenerative diseases
such as Alzheimer’s and several immunological
complications.
Current Applications of Biomarkers
The development of biomarkers is primarily controlled by
the increasing opportunity to replace traditional
diagnostic assays with biomarkers and the introduction
of powerful automated analysers. With respect to
chemoprevention, Biomarkers help in identifying key
regulatory molecules which could in turn be used as
potential drug targets. Their presence could predict
responses to mechanism based interventions and help
researchers in evaluating candidate agents during
pre-clinical drug development and also monitor subjects
during clinical trials. An individual’s biological
profile of existent molecular biomarkers can aid in the
assessment of which drug to give along with its dosage.
This would greatly reduce the drug development and
clinical trial costs reducing the need for a large
clinical trial population for drug approval.
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