Using a personalized medicine approach to identify more precise treatment.
By Jeff Alfonsi, M.D., Western University and London Health Sciences Centre, Canada; Sara Henderson, Pharm.D., London Health Sciences Centre; Peng Hsiao, Ph.D., Boehringer Ingelheim; Richard B. Kim, M.D., Western University and London Health Sciences Centre
In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new cystic fibrosis medication called Kalydeco (ivacaftor). The approval of Kalydeco was significant because it targeted one of the causal genetic mutations rather than a more traditional approach focused on symptom relief. Furthermore, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation created a registry where patients could contribute their genetic information, which helped researchers identify the target for Kalydeco.1 This story represents a major shift in the development of more targeted and individualized therapeutic agents.