European perspectives in personalised medicine focuses on coordinating implementation of personalised medicine at the EU level. Rapidly emerging technologies have potential benefits for patients but also raise questions that coordination can help address. The European Commission conducted workshops and a conference that identified key challenges for research, including developing tools to translate knowledge to applications, understanding economic impacts, and breaking barriers to collaboration. Current EC research focuses on technologies for patient stratification and validating biomarkers. Examples of funded projects aim to develop diagnostic probes and study characteristics of asthma. Horizon 2020 seeks to improve disease management and develop individualized health systems through investment in innovation.

1. European perspectives in
personalised medicine
Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Director for Health Research
Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
European Commission
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2. Not here to preach to the choir…
• We are here to explore
how we can make music
together
• We are here to listen and
learn from each other
• EU level coordination can
help in the implementation
of personalised medicine
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3. Personalised medicine: the time for
action is now
• Rapidly emerging area with
high potential for Europe
• Raising questions along the
full innovation cycle
• Potentially great benefits
for patients
• Potentially large economic
impact across public and
private sectors
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4. EC stocktaking exercise: personalised
medicine workshops and conference
• Vision for Europe 2020: identify bottlenecks for
implementation and research needs at European level
• 2010: Preparatory workshops (-omics, biomarkers, clinical
trials/regulatory, uptake)
• 2011: European Perspectives in Personalised Medicine
conference
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snoitalupop
llams ro/dna deifitarts rof seigolodohtem lairt lacinilc detpadA •
seipareht gnitsixe ni srekramoib fo esu retteB •
srekramoib fo sepyt lla fo noitadilav lacinilc dna noitacifilauQ •
srekramoib fo noitadilav dna noitacifitnedi
rof seigolodohtem dna sehcaorppa wen fo tnempoleveD •
• Translating knowledge to medical applications
serutangis xelpmoc erolpxe ot smhtirogla levon
fo tnempoleved dna seliforp ralucelom htiw atad lacinilc gnikniL •
serudecorp lacitylana dna noitcelloc elpmas dna atad rof sdradnatS •
sgnittes lacinilc ni esu rof sloot hcraeser wen fo snoitatpadA •
• Generating knowledge and developing the right tools
key challenges for research (1/2)
Outcome of our stock taking exercise:

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sehcaorppa enicidem desilanosrep no seiduts
cimonoce-ocamrahp rehto dna ssenevitceffe tsoc evitarapmoC •
tnemssessA ygolonhceT htlaeH rof seigolodohteM •
smetsys erac htlaeh ni sehcaorppa desilanosrep
fo ytilibaiv cimonoce eht no dna stneitap rof tcapmi no seidutS •
• Understanding the economic impacts and aspects
alucirruc gniniart dna noitacude ni egdelwonk wen fo noitargetnI •
sredlohekats
dna senilpicsid tnereffid neewteb noissucsid dna noitaroballoC •
• Breaking barriers and speaking the same language
key challenges for research (2/2)
Outcome of our stock taking exercise:

7. Current EC health research activities
• Around €1 billion to
collaborative research
enabling the development
of personalised medicine
approaches
JRC (EC)
Euratom
1.8
Capacities 4.1
4.3
Cooperation
People 4.7
32.3
7. 5
Ideas
Total FP7 budget: € 54.6 billion
Health Priority in Cooperation: € 6.1 billion dna hcrayciloP
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8. Personalised medicine: our current
research focus (period 2010 – 2012)
• Technologies for patient stratification/personalised
medicine
• Genome based biomarkers for patient stratification and
pharmacogenomic strategies
• Human epigenomics
• Validation of –omics based biomarkers
• Rare diseases as a model for personalised medicine
• Clinical bioinformatics
• Statistical methods for collection and analysis of
– omics data
• New methodologies for Health Technology Assessment
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9. Examples of EU-funded research
CAGEKID
METAHIT
Cancer Genomics of the European Research
Metagenomics of the
Kidney initiative to develop Imaging
Human Intestinal Tract
Probes for early In-vivo
Diagnosis and Evaluation of
response to therapeutic
substances
TRANSBIG European Network for
MINDACT- Microarray In Node negative Genetic and Genomic
Disease may Avoid ChemoTherapy Epidemiology
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10. International Rare Diseases Research Consortium
(IRDiRC)
Ambitious 2020 goals
200 New Therapies
Diagnosis For Most Rare Diseases
23 committed members
EU investment over € 430 million
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11. IMI: enabling personalised medicine
approaches – 3 project examples
U-BIOPRED: Unbiased BIOmarkers in
PREDiction of respiratory disease
outcomes
PROactive: physical activity as a crucial
patient reported outcome in COPD
DIRECT: DIabetes REsearCh on
patient straTification
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12. gro.NOITADNUOF-GNUL-NAEPORUE.DERPOIBU.www
-Clinical data from a large group of
asthma patients and healthy people
- “-omics” technology
- Animal and laboratory models
- Human challenge models
Systems biology
Handprint of characteristics that can be
observed (“phenotypes”)
Thorax, 23.11.10 to better classify severe asthma
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13. Horizon 2020: The next framework
programme for research and innovation
• Europe needs cutting edge
research and innovation
• Essential to ensure
competitiveness, growth
and jobs
• Vital to tackle pressing
societal challenges
• 3% of GDP invested in
R&D: headline target of
Europe 2020
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14. noitavonnI
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esaesid gnitaerT •
noitciderp dna tnemeganam
esaesid gnivorpmi rof enicidem ocilis-ni gnisU •
.sehcaorppa dna seigolonhcet
evitavonni dna ,ecitcarp tseb fo noitanimessid • Improving diagnosis
dna gnikam noisiced desab ecnedive hguorht
seitilauqeni gnicuder dna smetsys erachtlaeh seniccav evitneverp retteb gnipoleveD •
fo ssenevitceffe dna ycneiciffe eht gnisimitpO •
erac detargetni gnitomorP • • Understanding disease
htlaeh
fo tnemeganam-fles rof tnemrewopme laudividnI • ssenderaperp dna ecnallievrus gnivorpmI •
gnivil detsissa dna tnednepedni ,gniega evitcA • ytilibitpecsus
sdeen yrotaluger dna gnikam ycilop esaesid fo tnemssessa eht gnivorpmi dna
troppus ot sdohtem dna sloot cifitneics gnivorpmI • semmargorp gnineercs evitceffe gnipoleveD •
atad htlaeh fo esu retteB • ;noitneverp esaesid
dna noitomorp htlaeh gnivorpmi ,)srotcaf
snoitca noitavonni elbalacs detaler etamilc dna latnemnorivne gnidulcni(
dna ecitcarp lacinilc ot egdelwonk gnirrefsnarT • htlaeh fo stnanimreted eht gnidnatsrednU •
Wellbeing Challenge – proposal ~ €8.5bn
Health, Demographic Change and
Horizon 2020:

15. Some key questions for discussion
• How can bioclusters/bioregions support the rapid uptake of
personalised medicine?
• How can bioclusters/bioregions help proving the value of
personalised medicine approaches in healthcare?
• What incentives could be developed to stimulate innovation
in personalised medicine approaches?
• How can rapid integration of innovative
technologies/approaches be assured while ensuring quality
and safety for patients?
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16. More information including workshop and conference reports
Visit us online: http://ec.europa.eu/research/health
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Thank you for your attention