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INNOSC Theranostics and
Pharmacological Sciences Biomarkers and drugs in Africa

malaria management, as it allows for prompt and informed tailored strategy. This has led to the creation of targeted
decision-making, enabling healthcare professionals to therapeutics and creative clinical trial designs. 46
initiate effective treatment plans and improve patient
outcomes. Such biomarker-based detection methods, 4.6. Drug-related biomarkers
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combined with appropriate treatment approaches, can In neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s
considerably help reduce human reservoirs of the parasite, disease, accurate biomarkers are essential for adaptation to
which frequently contribute to the persistence of malaria therapy and timely diagnosis. The event-related potential
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infection transmission in endemic zones of Africa where biomarker (ERP), particularly the P300 technique, has
asymptomatic malaria is widespread. Some examples of shown promise as a surrogate for predicting the cognitive
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malaria biomarkers are Plasmodium falciparum lactate potential of medicinal products in neurocognitive diseases,
dehydrogenase, histidine-rich proteins (HRPs), and including Alzheimer’s disease. The ERP P300 latency has
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hemozoins. Biomarkers may also be used to distinguish been established as a measurable, objective parameter
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latent TB infection and predict the likelihood of relapse, for monitoring the progression of cerebral decline and
treatment response, and the development of clinical disease. response to therapy in individuals with Alzheimer’s
These insights are urgently needed to establish precise disease dementia as well as for identifying changes in
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endpoints for clinical trials of new drugs and vaccines. brain function. P300 tests are an excellent tool for the early
In addition, several biomarkers are now the main focus development of pre-cognitive drugs, as they enable direct
of efforts to enhance techniques for assessing the risk of monitoring of the functioning of large neural networks
CVDs. The use of these biomarkers is appealing because in response to auditory stimulation. Other neurological
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they combine signals from several pathophysiological and psychiatric conditions, such as multiple sclerosis,
pathways and offer combined predictive utility. Elevated epilepsy, Huntington’s disease, transient ischemic stroke,
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concentrations of fibrinogen, interleukin-6, CRP, and intellectual disability, attention-deficit hyperactivity
galectin-3 are known risk factors for CVDs and may disorder, traumatic brain injury, and mental health issues,
serve as biomarkers to partially anticipate the onset of the have also been researched regarding ERP P300 latency.
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condition. 41 Serum levels of the enzyme diamine oxidase serve as a
diagnostic marker for respiratory allergies. In addition,
4.5. Disease-related biomarkers protein deamination and extracellular vesicles have been
Bravo et al. reported the discovery of 131,012 disease– identified as novel biomarkers for the early pre-motor stages
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biomarker correlations involving 2,803 genes and 2,751 of Parkinson’s disease. DNases have been identified for
disorders through text mining. Biomarkers associated their role in cleaving extracellular DNA and are considered
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with neoplasms are crucial for identifying, diagnosing, a potential marker for systemic lupus erythematosus.
and managing cancer. This group includes a wide range of Table 1 shows an overview of disease- and drug-associated
disorders involving the nervous system, spine, and brain. biomarkers with implications for personalized medicine.
Biomarker research in neurological diseases aims to identify
markers that can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of 4.7. Importance of biomarkers drug development
neurological disorders. CRC biomarkers, such as RAS, and disease management in Africa
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microsatellite instability, HER2, consensus molecular The health of individuals in third-world countries is
subtypes, and Circulating tumor DNA/Circulating tumor persistently under threat, accounting for approximately
cells, facilitate targeted therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy 90% of the global health burden, whereas only 10% of
by allowing for patient stratification and identifying worldwide research is focused on developing effective
those who can benefit from adjuvant treatment. In solutions to alleviate this burden. Biomarkers may include
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atopic dermatitis, biomarkers are particularly important measurements taken directly from biological samples,
for selecting appropriate treatments for patients. They such as amniotic fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, whole
assist in prognosis, measuring the treatment response, blood, peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid, saliva, serum, seminal
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and assessing disease severity. In rheumatoid arthritis, fluid, sweat, and urine. In addition, they may include
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biomarkers, including autoantibodies and disease- measurements such as brain imaging, which do not
modifying antirheumatic drug pharmacogenetics, are require direct sampling of biological materials but assess
used to identify predictors of treatment response and modifications in the nervous system’s composition or
personalized therapy. The availability of real-world function. Cholesterol levels serve as a biomarker and risk
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genomic data and advancements in technology have indicator for coronary and vascular diseases. A doctor can
facilitated biomarker-driven drug development, shifting assess a patient’s cholesterol levels to predict the likelihood of
the focus from a “one-drug-fits-all” approach to a more a heart attack. If anticholesterol medications are prescribed,

Volume 7 Issue 4 (2024) 6 doi: 10.36922/itps.3656