Theranostics Paves the Way for Personalised Medicine in Europe, Says Frost & Sullivan

LONDON, March 22, 2010 - Theranostics is an emerging field in clinical diagnostics, focussing on
developing specific analysis to predict the most suitable drug for a patient
along with assessing the efficacy of the drug. It uses molecular assays to
determine the optimum dose of drugs for a patient, paving the way for
personalised medicine. Although significant awareness has been created about
personalised medicine, its full potential is yet to be tapped. Factors such
as cost and regulatory timelines are the key hurdles that need to be
addressed at the moment.

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New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (www.drugdiscovery.frost.com),
Strategic Analysis of the European Markets for Theranostics, finds that
theranostics plays a crucial role in every step of drug development process,
primarily in the form of biomarker discovery, target selection and validation
of biomarkers. The key applications of theranostics are covered in the
following disease areas: cancer, cardiovascular diseases and neuro disorders.

"The emergence of personalised medicine with the help of theranostics is
a milestone in the drug therapy process," says Frost & Sullivan Research
Analyst Gayathry Ramachandran. "Its targeted approach enables the
prescription of only those drugs that are linked to a specific biomarker
assay, thereby benefiting the physicians, patients, insurance, and regulatory
agencies."

The availability of advanced technology to support research projects has
resulted in novel therapeutics. As more biomarkers are discovered and their
importance known, the need for specific theranostic assays is likely to
increase.

However, the high cost associated with genetic testing for the
identification of biomarkers poses a challenge to the success of
theranostics. The uncertainty associated with the clinical utility of
biomarkers discovered will negatively impact the return-on-investment (ROI).

"Theranostics is a well understood science, yet pharmaceutical companies
have been late adopters," says Ramachandran. "It is rare to see large pharma
and diagnostic companies branding themselves as theranostic companies."

Improved cooperation between drug and diagnostic companies will enhance
the success of theranostics. The commercialisation of theranostics will be
possible by effective communication with the physicians to understand its
penetration in the market.

"Companies focusing on theranostics with already licensed drugs can play
a key role in reaching out to larger pharmaceutical companies," concludes
Ramachandran. "Pharmaceutical companies should be aware of the importance of
linking diagnostics to its drug development process."

If you are interested in more information on Frost & Sullivan's research
on the European Markets for Theranostics, send an e-mail to Katja Feick,
Corporate Communications, at katja.feick@frost.com, with your full name,
company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company
website, city, state and country.

Strategic Analysis of the European Markets for Theranostics is part of
the Drug Discovery & Clinical Diagnostics Growth Partnership Services
programme, which also includes research in the following markets: Western
European IVD Markets, European Diabetes Diagnostics Market, European Immuno
Diagnostics Market, and European Cancer IVD Market. All research services
included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry
trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market
participants.

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Strategic Analysis of the European Markets for Theranostics (M3C3)

    Contact:
    Katja Feick
    Corporate Communications - Europe
    P: +49(0)69-7703343
    E: katja.feick@frost.com
    www.frost.com
    Twitter: twitter.com/frost_sullivan

Katja Feick, Corporate Communications - Europe of Frost & Sullivan, +49(0)69-7703343, katja.feick at frost.com