Expression genomics and drug development: Towards predictive pharmacology

Expression genomics can be defined as the study of the dynamic transciptome and its regulatory elements. Technologies are available that can assess transcripts on a genome-wide scale over time and across many samples. This comprehensive and dynamic database is being used to decipher signalling pathways and to identify new biomarkers and targets. Biomarkers emerging from these studies have prognostic potential and can be used to predict therapeutic outcome. The multiplex nature of this approach not only telescopes the time to discovery, but also allows for detection of complex interactions. Taken together, these capabilities, if carefully used, can speed drug development, enhance the identification of potent drug combinations and identify patient populations that will benefit from these new drugs.