In recent years increasing acquisition on disease physiopathology and pathogenesis in parallel with the development of innovative diagnostic technologies,  have led to the identification of informative biomarkers and to the introduction of specifically targeted biological therapeutic agents.This has allowed for the stratification of patients subpopulation based on their individual profiles so as to select the more effective treatment. A new, personalized health care paradigm has then been introduced in medicine to replace the “one therapy fits all” conventional approach. The new diagnostic/predictive markers are used as “companion diagnostic” to identify the specific disease  subtype that have to be treated with the most suitable agent. This is the case of the humanized monoclonal antibody Vemurafenib that completely destroy only melanoma cells carrying the BRAF V600 mutation. Similar results have also been obtained in the management of patients with chronic hepatitis C where the anti-viral therapies, their dose and durations,  are selected based on the virus genotype, load and drug resistance mutations.  
However, development of companion diagnostics underlies major challenges. Therefore, when developing new diagnostic markers, it is more and more important  to carefully assess their clinical applications and utility to define their most appropriate claims and positioning. Their possible application as companion diagnostic have to be explored and proven. The same holds true with regard to new therapeutic agents that need to be designed so as to act against the specific target already identified as key in the pathogenesis of the disease of interest. 
To help addressing these needs, Iatros offers a wide range of medical, clinical and scientific expertise that will support the development and implementation of companion diagnostic programs from their conceptual formulation to their clinical use. This is based on a team of senior scientists, with both industrial and academic background, and a broad, worldwide network of academic centers,particularly useful to companies that may lack dedicated, internal resources.