Thierry Sornasse

Sharing relevant articles on advancements in personalized medicine
by Brian Shields

Bapineuzumab is a fully humanized monoclonal antibody which targets beta amyloid protein involved in Alzheimer's Disease. There are 26 million patients in the world, half in Asia and the rest in N America/Europe with AD. It is the most advanced mAbs as well as the first new drug aimed at slowing, stopping the disease progression and degradation of the cognitive function. Johnson and Johnson paid over $ 1.5 billion for co-marketing rights to the originating company leading to mixed reactions from analysts. There are 14 ongoing Phase III trials in over 10,000 patients and results of some completed studies may be available in late 2012. Enrollment of patients in the 4 main US studies was completed in October 2010, the biomarker sub studies are open and the BLA/NDA filing anticipated for late 2012 or early 2013. The drug has fast track regulatory status with FDA. It must clearly show a beneficial and lasting effect through validated biomarker of underlying AD disease mechanism. If approved and marketed, this may be the first drug to stop disease progression and rate of decline in AD. It is hoped that clearing of beta-amyloid plaques results in slower rate of decline in cognitive and functional status of AD patients, just like tumor reduction resulted in prolonged survival with cancer drugs. There are unconfirmed reports of clearing of plaques, reduction in tau proteins, progress in trials and return to "normal" of patients in early stages of AD and in clinical trials. Many others see no change or improvements.
by Krishan Maggon

Personalized medicine is an extension of traditional approaches to understanding and treating illness. Since the beginning of the study of medicine, physicians have employed evidence found through observation to make a diagnosis or to prescribe treatment. In the past, this was presumably tailored to each individual, but personalized medicine makes treatment more specific. In the modern conception of personalized medicine, the tools provided to the physician are more precise, probing not just the obvious, such as a tumor on a mammogram or cells under a microscope, but the very molecular makeup of each patient. Looking at the patient on this level helps the physician get a profile of the patient’s genetic distinction, or mapping. By investigating this genetic mapping, medical professionals are then able to profile patients, and use the found information to plan out a course of treatment that is much more in step with the way their body works. Genomic medicine and personalized medicine use genetic information to prevent or treat disease in adults or their children.
by Cluster Individualized ImmuneIntervention

Ideas, resources, opinions: towards developing sane and environmentally responsible food sources
by urban artichoke