2023-10-24 23:56:09
In a recent publication in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, Anneliene Jonker, the Personalized Medicine program manager at the TechMed Center, highlights the importance of care for rare diseases and the need for innovation in this field. Jonker’s research focuses on the potential of drug repurposing and the influence of personalized medicine on the development of innovative therapies for rare diseases.
The definition of a rare disease varies across the globe, making it challenging to efficiently develop effective treatments. Jonker emphasizes the importance of reevaluating the definition and considering subgroups within common diseases to maximize the impact of treatments. By identifying specific biomarkers and shared molecular characteristics, Jonker suggests that some different rare diseases can be treated in the same way.
In her second publication, Jonker explores the concept of drug repurposing, which involves reusing existing medications for different diseases. She explains that this approach can be particularly beneficial for rare diseases, as developing new medications for these conditions is costly and time-consuming. By repurposing medicines, developers can save both money and time in the drug development process, providing a potential solution for treating rare diseases.
Jonker also provides an overview of existing initiatives worldwide that aim to enable drug reuse. By understanding these initiatives, developers can better navigate the process of repurposing medicines for rare diseases. This knowledge can potentially reduce the average development time for a medicine from thirty years to about ten years.
Dr. Anneliene Jonker is not only the Personalized Medicine program manager at the TechMed Center but also serves as the vice-chair of the Therapies Scientific Committee of the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC). Her research has recently been published twice in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, with titles including “Defining rare conditions in the era of personalized medicine” and “IRDiRC Drug Repurposing Guidebook: making better use of existing drugs to tackle rare diseases”.
Jonker’s work contributes valuable insights into the field of rare diseases and emphasizes the potential of drug repurposing and personalized medicine in developing innovative therapies. This research has the potential to transform the way rare diseases are approached and treated, offering hope for patients worldwide.
Source: UT]
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