Sequencing and personalised medicine

Powerful and affordable DNA sequencing is cornerstone technology that is expected to drive the development of personalised medicine.  The benefits will be realised in many academic and industrial settings.

In academic institutions, better sequencing technologies are already being used to improve the knowledge of the structure of the genome, and understanding of the relationship between genotype and phenotype. However, the expense and complexity of existing technology is still a limiting factor. Massive improvements in cost and speed will accelerate this understanding.

In biotech and pharmaceutical companies, improved genomic knowledge is already feeding into the drug discovery and development process. By understanding the genetic cause of a disease, potential drug targets may be identified.

Further along the pharmaceutical R&D process, genotyping data is increasingly being used to gain a deeper understanding of drug response. If a drug has a better efficacy or safety profile for patients with a specific genetic profile, the company may pursue regulatory approval for that drug only for patients in that genetic group. Patients benefit from more targeted medicines, and the pharmaceutical R&D process may be faster and cheaper, with a potentially lower risk of issues once a drug is on the market.

In the future, as the power of genetic information increases, it is expected that governments and other healthcare providers will become more involved in the development and application of personalized medicine.