Precision Medicine

Precision Medicine

Context:

Recently, Precision medicine has opened doors to treat and diagnose many diseases by focusing on individualized treatment plans based on genetic, environmental, and lifestyle differences.

Relevance:

GS-02 (Health)

What is Precision Medicine?

  • Precision medicine provides customized treatments to individual patients based on their genetic makeup and specific health conditions.
  • It focuses on identifying the unique variations in each person’s DNA, lifestyle, and environmental factors, to ensure that the right treatment reaches the right patient at the right time.
  • This approach particular focuses on complex diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and genetic conditions.
  • It also seeks to optimize therapeutic outcomes and minimize the risk of side effects.
  • Unlike traditional medicine, which may offer the same treatment to all patients, precision medicine strives to provide tailored interventions that offer the most benefit to specific individuals or groups.
  • Recent advancements in gene-editing technologies like CRISPR, allowed researchers to make precise changes in a person’s genetic code that paved way for this invention.
  • Organ-on-Chips: These are small, microfluidic devices that contain human cells. It replicates the microenvironment of a specific organ or tumor in the laboratory and allows scientists to test drugs in conditions that closely mimic those found in the human body, potentially leading to more accurate and effective treatments.
  • Biobanks: Biobanks are those storage facilities that store biological samples and genetic data which are crucial for advancing precision medicine. These repositories enable researchers to access a wide variety of samples, facilitating the development of targeted therapies based on genetic variations. Large and diverse biobanks are especially important for ensuring that precision medicine benefits a broad section of society rather than just a privileged few.

Precision Medicine in India:

  • According to industry estimates, the Indian precision medicine market is growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16%, and it is expected to exceed $5 billion by 2030.
  • Currently, it contributes to about 36% of India’s bioeconomy, alongside other significant areas such as cancer immunotherapy, gene editing, and biologics.
  • Key developments that have marked India’s progress in precision medicine:
    • NexCAR19: In October 2023, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization approved NexCAR19, India’s first domestically developed CAR-T cell therapy, a breakthrough in cancer treatment. This approval signals India’s readiness to adopt and expand the use of advanced therapies.
    • Genome India Programme: The Genome India Programme, a key initiative, recently completed sequencing 10,000 genomes from 99 ethnic groups across the country. This effort aims to identify treatments for rare genetic diseases and support the development of precision therapies.
    • PRaGeD Mission: The Paediatric Rare Genetic Disorders (PRaGeD) mission focuses on identifying new genes or variants that could help develop targeted therapies for genetic diseases that affect children.
    • Collaborations in Precision Medicine: India is also seeing increased collaborations in the precision medicine sector. Notable examples include the Apollo Cancer Centre and a collaboration between Siemens Healthineers and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, which are working to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) in precision medicine.