April 2003 marked the end of a thirteen-year international scientific effort to produce the first map of the human genome. Far from signifying an end, however, the completion of the Human Genome Project was the beginning of the age of personalized medicine. The goal of personalized medicine is to use genomic data – data about an individual’s unique DNA – to determine the best course of medical care. Personalized medicine eschews one-size-fits-all treatments for more targeted care plans that result in better patient outcomes. Today, doctors and researchers from every hospital, lab and drug company around the world use the power of the genomic revolution to better understand diseases and develop new therapeutics.
According to the McKinsey Institute, the direct economic impact of using biological applications to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease could top $1.2 trillion by 2040. Among the applications expected to have a massive impact on this economic growth over the next twenty years is single-cell omics. Just as the Human Genome Project transformed one-size-fits-all treatments into personalized medicine, single-cell omics technologies have the potential to revolutionize personalized medicine.
Right now, the most common way to sequence a person’s DNA when trying to personalize their medical care is by using bulk sequencing methods. Bulk DNA sequencing incorporates data from many thousands of cells in an individual - say, cells taken from a lung biopsy. Bulk sequencing averages the sequencing data from these cells to determine if that individual has lung cancer or not, and can even determine if a certain mutation is present in that sample. But a major assumption of bulk sequencing is that all sequenced cells are the same, which isn’t always the case.
Single-cell omics allows researchers to “zoom in” and study disease at the resolution of a single cell, turning personalized medicine into precision medicine. Single-cell omics doesn’t average-out sequencing data; it uses high-throughput sequencing technologies to provide data specific to each cell that is sampled, allowing scientists to identify rare differences between cell types. For example, single-cell omics may be able to identify a rare mutation that would make a person with lung cancer resistant to a future treatment, while bulk sequencing may miss these rare mutations.
The higher resolution of single-cell omics allows researchers and pharmaceutical companies to better understand complex diseases like cancer. Imagine looking at the stars without a telescope – they all look pretty much the same, and only large patterns and differences are immediately obvious. But, when you take a closer look, it turns out that there were huge differences just waiting to be discovered. That is the power of single-cell omics to transform personalized medicine.
We are currently working with leading biotech companies at the forefront of the single-cell omics bio-revolution. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to us right away.
Although the material contained in this website was prepared based on information from public and private sources that Polar Apex, LLC believes to be reliable, no representation, warranty or undertaking, stated or implied, is given as to the accuracy of the information contained herein, and Polar Apex, LLC expressly disclaims any liability for the accuracy and completeness of information contained in this article.
This article is distributed for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting or investment advice. The information, opinions and views contained herein have not been tailored to the investment objectives of any one individual, are current only as of the date hereof and may be subject to change at any time without prior notice. Polar Ape, LLC does not have any obligation to provide revised opinions in the event of changed circumstances. All investment strategies and investments involve risk of loss. Nothing contained in this article should be construed as investment advice. Any reference to an investment’s past or potential performance is not, and should not be construed as, a recommendation or as a guarantee of any specific outcome or profit.
Any ideas or strategies discussed herein should not be undertaken by any individual without prior consultation with a financial professional for the purpose of assessing whether the ideas or strategies that are discussed are suitable to you based on your own personal financial objectives, needs and risk tolerance. Polar Apex, LLC expressly disclaims any liability or loss incurred by any person who acts on the information, ideas or strategies discussed herein.
The information contained herein is not, and shall not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy or an offer to purchase any securities, nor should it be deemed to be an offer, or a solicitation of an offer, to purchase or sell any investment product or service.