Theranostics is the term used to describe the proposed process of diagnostic therapy for individual patients - to test them for possible reaction to taking a new medication and to tailor a treatment for them based on the test results. It is formed by the combination of the terms "Therapeutics" and "Diagnostics".

It encompasses the possible utilisation of a wide range of subjects that includes: predictive medicine

Predictive medicine

Predictive medicine is a rapidly emerging field of medicine that entails predicting disease and instituting preventive measures in order to either prevent the disease altogether or significantly decrease its impact upon the patient...

, personalized medicine

Personalized medicine

Personalized medicine is a medical model emphasizing in general the customization of healthcare, with all decisions and practices being tailored to individual patients in whatever ways possible...

, integrated medicine, pharmacodiagnostics and Dx/Rx partnering

This method is looked upon as the possible end result of new advances made in Pharmacogenomics

Pharmacogenomics

Pharmacogenomics is the branch of pharmacology which deals with the influence of genetic variation on drug response in patients by correlating gene expression or single-nucleotide polymorphisms with a drug's efficacy or toxicity...

, Drug Discovery

Drug discovery

In the fields of medicine, biotechnology and pharmacology, drug discovery is the process by which drugs are discovered or designed.In the past most drugs have been discovered either by identifying the active ingredient from traditional remedies or by serendipitous discovery...

 using Genetics

Genetics

Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....

, Molecular Biology

Molecular biology

Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...

 and Microarray chips

Microarray

A microarray is a multiplex lab-on-a-chip. It is a 2D array on a solid substrate that assays large amounts of biological material using high-throughput screening methods.Types of microarrays include:...

technology.

Industry involvement

With the advent of personalised medicine and its associated demands for individualised products, Theranostics aims to provide a set of tools as well as the portent of relevant biological and clinical information that pharmaceutical companies must overcome.

With the likes of AstraZeneca, GSK, Pfizer, Lilly, Roche, BMS, Biogen, Abbott, Merck, Amgen and Novartis already actively involved in CDx collaborations within this growing industry, key Theranostic developers include a wide variety of companion diagnostic providers who see the potential of their products being applied to personalised drug therapies. Theranostics is good news for pharma and good news for diagnostic firms.

These pharmaceutical stakeholders are working together with national bodies such as the EDMA and BIVDA to advance this field, whilst coordinating with patients, consumers, physicians, payers and regualtory authiorities.

A regional industry meeting highlighting the emerging stakeholder relationships and their individual needs takes place in Geneva from 14-16 June.

Etymology

The term was used first by the CEO of PharmaNetics, John Funkhouser. He defined it as, "The ability to affect therapy or treatment of a diseased state."

Further reading

• Picard FJ, Bergeron MG., Rapid molecular theranostics in infectious diseases, Drug Discov Today. 2002 Nov 1;7(21):1092-101.
• Hooper JW., The genetic map to theranostics, MLO Med Lab Obs. 2006 Jun;38(6):22-3, 25.