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Personalized medicine - often described as the right medicine for the right patient at the right time - was considered as an ideal. But it is also a threat to some pharmaceutical companies wedded to the idea of blockbuster drugs that could be taken by potentially all patients with a certain disease.

But pharmaceutical companies are now pursuing personalised medicine, according to a new report from Tufts Center for the study of drug development at Tufts University.

"You really go to this whole pig," said Christopher Paul Milne, Associate Director at the Tufts Center for the pharmaceutical industry receives some funding. "You are basically transition the way of development in a personalized medicine approach. "

Mr. Milne said from 12 to 50 percent of the companies subject to the company involved in developing drugs a personalized medicine approach.

The Tufts report based survey of 25 companies, large and small on a replied on 16 enterprises as well as interviews with representatives of 13 companies.

Often includes personalized medicine Genetical or other tests that can be used to determine which patients are most likely of a drug or who suffer the most serious side effects are to benefit.

Relatively few drugs are now accompanied by such so-called companion Diagnostics.Are most common in the Onkologie.Das breast cancer-Medikament Herceptin, receives only to women, whose tumors have a wealth of a protein called HER2.

That's not likely, only 10 percent of drugs immediately to level.the says Tufts study now in late stage clinical studies have tested a diagnostic Companion.

But this should change with drugs which are not so far in the development.The survey found that 50 percent of trials now collect DNA by the participants to help to find a drug "Biomarkers" safety or efficacy issues to korrelieren.Rund 30 percent of companies said, now all connections in development, you require a biomarker. "

The report notes, the personalized medicine will complicate may drug development, weniger.Und while some companies are interested of biomarkers to understand how a drug in the body, you're less enthusiastic about the establishment of the necessary tests before a drug can be used.

Still could inevitable make it growing cost pressure in the health sector that drugs only benefit most likely patients are used.

"I think you are in a situation where you have not much choice," Mr. Milne said the drug companies. "I think that's why we see make the transition. "

Correction: Mr. Milne results Thursday on a personalized medicine Conference at Harvard Medical School presented.The report is also posted on the University website.

An earlier version of this post incorrectly say post's availability, you had been made public.

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