Personalized medicine development tied to companion diagnostics, says Tufts CSDD

With interest in personalized medicines growing, drug and diagnostics companies are investing in the development of companion diagnostics that can show that their use in conjunction with personalized therapeutics will lead to positive health outcomes, according to R&D leaders participating in a roundtable recently hosted by the USA’s Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development.

The issue is critical as drugs that have companion diagnostics, which identify biomarkers to help differentiate between responders and non-responders to a particular drug, and those at risk for adverse events, are more likely to be prescribed and reimbursed.

According to Tufts CSDD, 20% of new drugs winning approval in the USA last year were considered personalized medicines, a number that is expected to grow, based on investment plans of major drug companies.