What Is Precision Biotherapeutics? A new era emerging in personalized medicine

Biotherapeutics is the direct application of biotherapeutics derived from living organisms within the treatment of disease. Such substances are endogenous or produced in the laboratory. It is a new concept in the field of medicine that manages to change the treatment protocols aimed at patients with similar conditions to each person’s broad biological profile and aims at precision medicine. This area combines genomic sciences and biotechnology, and data science-based treatments are aimed to be more effective but with fewer adverse effects than the conventional approach. With growing knowledge of the dysregulation of diseases, we have also succeeded in the design of therapies that target such diseases at the molecular level and create possibilities for previously unmanageable diseases.

The Definition of Precision Biotherapeutics
The main aim of precision biotherapeutics is to develop treatment persuasion factors based on an individual’s genetics, surroundings, and personal habits. Typical of conventional medicine where treatments are more or less homogenized and banners standard way, for instance, precision biotherapeutics is applied in regards to the unique biological characteristics of every patient.
For instance, in cancer treatment, precision biotherapeutics focus on identifying genetic mutations driving a tumor’s growth. Rather than using indiscriminate cytotoxic approaches such as chemotherapy, which injures not only the cancerous tissues but also normal cells, precision biotherapeutics aims to treat these mutations with the help of monoclonal antibodies, small-molecule inhibitors, or other gene-modifying tools such as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats). This precision avoids unnecessary injury to normal structures and improves the chances of successfully treating the patient.

Key Components and Technologies
Technological and conceptual features are at the center of precision biotherapeutics development. Genomics is one of the most important studies used in precision biotherapeutics because decoding the human genome, which was accomplished in 2003, led to large-scale genomic research that has found multiple genetic factors responsible for diseases. Further, bioinformatics and big data analytics help in analyzing genetic data for associations of any gene with disease and/or treatment response.
Also, biologics that include antibodies, vaccines, and cellular therapeutics are frequently meant to target selective pathways in disease processes. One of the most innovative examples of such targeting is CAR-T cell therapy, which alters a patient’s immune cells to detect and destroy cancer cells.

Applications and impact
Precision medicine is commonly associated with cancer treatment in the field of oncology. For example, Trastuzumab (Herceptin) focuses its action on proteins responsible for the development of particular types of breast and stomach cancers. In contrast, Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) utilizes the body’s system to target and combat malignant cells.
In addition to cancer treatment advancements is the progress in precision biotherapeutics for addressing disorders and autoimmune diseases as well as tackling infectious diseases such as HIV.

Challenges and Future Directions
Precision biotherapeutics face a major obstacle in terms of both expense and intricacy. Furthermore, the existing regulatory frameworks need to adapt to the characteristics of these treatments.
In the future, the ongoing merging of AI, machine learning, and advanced genomic technologies is expected to speed up the progress of precision biotherapeutics. It is hoped that precision biotherapeutics will soon play a role in personalized medicine, providing customized treatments that improve effectiveness and lower risks for patients globally.

P. Muskaan

University/College name : Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology School of Biotechnology