Alastair Hay of Almac Sciences shares his outlook for theranostics
The positive image of precision medicine
Alastair Hay of Almac Sciences shares his outlook for theranostics
It is said that we are entering a golden age for peptide therapeutics . Glucagon-like peptide-1 ( GLP-1 ) analogues have been taking centre stage recently with their use in Type 2 diabetes and weight loss . They have required metric tonnes to serve initial demand , and that quantity will only grow as demand increases for a mass market .
At the other end of the scale , theranostics are micro-dosed , and the scale demand is only a fraction of the GLP-1s . The use of theranostics is growing , however . Applying the same methodology to provide both therapeutics and diagnostics represents a rapidly expanding approach in personalised medicine .
This innovative field combines diagnostic imaging and targeted therapy to treat diseases more effectively and with fewer side effects . By using specific biomarkers to diagnose and treat diseases , theranostics offers a tailored approach to patient care , particularly in oncology . The field has come to the fore in the last few years . Novartis leads the way , with Pluvicto and Lutathera achieving combined sales of over $ 2 billion in 2024.1
Theranostics involves the use of a single agent for diagnosis and therapy . This dual functionality is achieved by using radiopharmaceuticals , compounds that contain a radioactive isotope .
The radioisotope is delivered to specific target receptors .
Once the agent binds to the target , it can be used to image the tumour using techniques like positron emission tomography ( PET ). Subsequently , assuming the imaging confirms the presence of the relevant receptor , the same agent is used to deliver a different radioisotope to target and kill the cancer cells , while sparing healthy tissue .
The other advantage of this diagnostic first approach is that potentially harmful treatments are not administered to patients where they have no chance of helping . Selecting the appropriate radioisotope will determine if the
How theranostics work