Gene Expression Profiles for Cancer Therapy Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for monitoring the efficacy of cancer treatments and predicting patient responses to therapies lack sensitivity and specificity, particularly in using gene expression profiles from peripheral blood leukocytes, which require strong correlation with tumor responses to be effective markers.

Innovation Solution

Development of gene expression profiles and microarrays comprising nucleic acid sequences that demonstrate altered expression following exposure to multi-kinase inhibitors like sorafenib, enabling methods for prediction, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of cancer, including screening drug effects, toxicity, and identifying novel drugs by analyzing gene expression levels before and after treatment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If gene expression profiles from peripheral blood leukocytes are used to monitor treatment efficacy, then the method is non-invasive and easier to perform, but the sensitivity and specificity are insufficient without strong correlation with tumor responses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of monitoringVSAvoidsensitivity and specificity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses peripheral blood leukocytes as a surrogate intermediary system to indirectly reflect tumor response to therapy. By identifying specific gene expression patterns in these accessible blood cells that correlate with tumor efficacy, the method enables non-invasive monitoring while maintaining predictive accuracy through the surrogate biomarker relationship.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent identifies specific gene expression parameters and their patterns that change in response to therapy. By focusing on particular genes and their expression profiles rather than general gene expression, the method enhances measurement precision and specificity while maintaining the ease of using peripheral blood samples.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If gene expression analysis is performed to classify tumors and predict therapy response, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but the complexity of analysis and requirement for strong correlation validation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoidanalysis complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and focuses on specific genes and gene expression patterns from the complex genome that are most relevant for predicting therapy response. By selecting and analyzing only the most informative genes rather than performing comprehensive genome-wide analysis, the method reduces analytical complexity while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If surrogate cell populations like peripheral blood leukocytes are used instead of target tissue, then sample accessibility is improved, but the correlation strength with tumor response must be especially strong to be effective

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesample accessibilityVSAvoidcorrelation strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes peripheral blood leukocytes as an intermediary surrogate system that reflects tumor biology. By identifying specific gene expression patterns in these accessible cells that correlate with tumor response, the method enables non-invasive monitoring while maintaining predictive reliability through the surrogate relationship.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP1945819B1Gene expression profiles and methods of use
Publication Date: 2013.03.20 SIEMENS HEALTHCARE DIAGNOSTICS INC

AI summary

The present invention relates to gene expression profiles, microarrays comprising nucleic acid sequences representing gene expression profiles, and methods of using expression profiles and microarrays. The invention also provides methods and compositions for diagnostic assays for detecting cancer and therapeutic methods and compositions for treating cancer. The invention also provides methods for designing, identifying, and optimizing therapeutics for cancer.