Solutions for Biomarker Discovery
We have solutions that address key challenges in biomarker discovery and validation: throughput, reliability, sensitivity, and ease of use. Explore our solutions for analysis of genomic, proteomic, and cellular biomarkers.
Biomarker Discovery
Biomarkers provide vital information regarding safety and efficacy during drug discovery and development. Biomarkers can be classified as diagnostic, prognostic, or predictive and can be used to select patients for clinical trials or monitor patient response and treatment efficacy. In addition, after regulatory approval, biomarkers can be used to identify patient populations that would benefit from a particular therapy, and biomarkers can be used in clinical diagnostics to confirm the efficacy of a treatment and monitor long-term safety.
Biomarkers are used in research to design and develop more effective therapeutics, to assist in guiding decisions about which candidates to develop further, as surrogate markers for the selection of patients, and as endpoints for both benefits and risks. There are a wide range of types of biomarkers that can be monitored, such as predictive, prognostic, pharmacodynamic, safety, and efficacy markers. One class of biomarkers that is actively being researched is safety biomarkers. These markers are being developed to help determine which drug candidates are most likely to be safely tolerated in humans.
From Discovery to Validation
Biomarkers range from specific molecules such as a protein, gene sequence, or expressed RNA to physiological parameters such as blood pressure or body temperature. They may be expressed in a specific location or tissue or found in serum, plasma, and other bodily fluids. Because of this diversity, most successful biomarker programs have a broad reach and investigate cellular, proteomic, and genetic sources in order to find the most valuable biomarkers.
Validation of biomarkers requires that their levels change in response to a disease, condition, or other parameter in a consistent and statistically significant manner. Identification and characterization of biomarkers can reduce the number of candidate drugs that fail clinical trials, aid in the discovery of more effective therapeutics, and provide methods for monitoring animals in preclinical research and evaluating the response of human participants in clinical trials.