Take paracetamol if you have a headache. Take paracetamol if you’re stressed. Take paracetamol if you’re suffering from body ache or a sore back or a sore neck. Basically, paracetamol is the answer for every kind of pain. In the same way, chemotherapy is the answer for every kind of cancer, and anti-inflammatory drugs are the answer for every kind of autoimmune disorder management. But do these chemicals work the same for everyone? Do these chemicals specifically target the cells they are supposed to target? If they do, then chemotherapy for blood cancer wouldn’t have caused hair loss. And if they do, then Colchicine meant to target neutrophils wouldn’t have caused liver, kidney or muscle damage.

The problem with chemical drugs is that they are non-specific, designed to treat all patients with the same condition, ignoring individual differences in response. They often affect both healthy and diseased cells, leading to side effects. This is where the concept of precision biotherapeutics comes into the play. It is defined as a cutting-edge approach in medicine that tailors therapies to individual patients based on their genetic, molecular, and environmental profiles. It uses data from Bioinformatics repositories and tools like Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to create drugs from biological molecules such as cells, genes, proteins or monoclonal antibodies that are highly precise and accurate in their action. They work like a right key that can open only the right door. This approach saves time and reduces the severe side effects associated with traditional drugs.

For instance, CAR-T cell therapy modifies a patient’s own T cells to target and destroy cancer cells, significantly reducing graft rejection risks as the source is allogenic. Originally successful in treating blood cancers by targeting the CD19 antigen, this approach is now being adapted to target B cells that produce autoantibodies, offering potential treatments for autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Another example of application of precision biotherapeutics is optimising warfarin doses, an anticoagulant used to prevent blood clots. Since individuals respond differently to the same dose, the discovery of polymorphisms in the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes, which influence anticoagulant response, allows doctors to tailor warfarin doses based on a patient’s genetic profile, minimising side effects like major bleeding and improving treatment effectiveness.

Previously, heart transplant rejection was managed with invasive biopsies, now, a non-invasive blood test monitors patients post-transplant and helps predict rejection risk and tailor immunosuppressive treatments for long-term care.

Precision biotherapeutics represent the future of personalised medicine, where treatments are no longer based on a one-size-fits-all approach but are tailored to each individual’s unique biological makeup. This not only enhances treatment effectiveness but also reduces the risk of adverse side effects, leading to better patient outcomes. As advancements in genomic research and biotechnology continue, precision biotherapeutics will play a pivotal role in transforming how we approach complex diseases like cancer, autoimmune disorders, and beyond—ushering in a new era of medicine that is smarter, safer, and more personalised.

Ashu Goyal

University/College name : GGDSD College, Sector 32-C, Chandigarh