What is a Good Biomarker?

Biomarkers such as ribonucleic acid (RNA), deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), proteins, lipids and other biomolecules are playing an increasingly vital role in advancing our understanding of health, driving drug development and improving clinical trial outcomes.

Among these, protein biomarkers are particularly significant, as they regulate many of the body’s biological functions and act as targets for most existing drugs, positioning them as central players in the advancement of personalized medicine.

In recent years, protein signatures comprising several biomarkers have led to critical breakthroughs in identifying disease subtypes, enabling earlier diagnoses and monitoring treatment response by offering a real-time, comprehensive view of disease complexity. However, the growing use and reliance on protein biomarkers highlights the need for a robust and efficient development pipeline to address key challenges such as:

• Ensuring reliable protein measurements that capture true biological signals and yield reproducible data
• Applying relevant statistical analysis for detecting meaningful differences between groups and streamlining actionable insights
• Utilizing scalable approaches throughout all stages of biomarker development

Addressing these challenges in biomarker development requires a robust, scalable and highly sensitive multiplex analysis platform using rigorously and transparently validated protein biomarker assays. This approach will be critical for shortening the time from discovery to clinical application, reducing costs and ensuring the identification of reliable biomarkers and drug targets for improved health outcomes.

Watch this to understand the critical role of protein biomarkers in advancing personalized medicine and improving clinical trial outcomes.

Speaker

Lena Eriksson, Group Manager Assay Development at Olink, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific

Katarina Hörnaeus, Product Portfolio Director at Olink, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific