Grace Zhao - 'CfDNA epigenetics for the earlier detection of therapy-induced multi-tissue toxicity'

Therapy-induced toxicity presents significant challenges to medicine. Current methods for toxicity detection lack sensitivity and specificity in certain cases, causing delays in diagnosis, which harm patient welfare and create financial burdens during clinical trials. A liquid biopsy assay based on cfDNA epigenetic analysis is a promising candidate for a minimally invasive approach to earlier detection of therapy-induced toxicity through the identification of highly cell-type-specific epigenetic markers. With the development and application of comprehensive cell methylation atlases, real-time monitoring of multi-tissue toxicity, leveraging next-generation sequencing, is possible. With a better understanding of cfDNA biology, a standardised diagnostic procedure based on cfDNA liquid biopsy for drug-induced toxicity, and ctDNA for efficacy, can be established. The lead time in diagnosis offered by this approach will allow for better management of treatment regimens and significantly reduce the risk of high-grade adverse events in patients, while facilitating more efficient drug development workflows. This paradigm shift to liquid biopsy-based methods paves the way for personalised treatment, heralding a new era of patient-centered clinical innovation.