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Hawksworth O, Chatters R, Julious S, Cook A, Biggs K, Solaiman K, Quah MCH, Cheong SC. A methodological review of randomised n-of-1 trials. Trials 2024; 25:263. [PMID: 38622638 PMCID: PMC11020886 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-024-08100-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND n-of-1 trials are a type of crossover trial designed to optimise the evaluation of health technologies in individual patients. This trial design may be considered for the evaluation of health technologies in rare conditions where fewer patients are available to take part in research. This review describes the characteristics of randomised n-of-1 trials conducted over the span of 12 years, including how the n-of-1 design has been employed to study both rare and non-rare conditions. METHODS Databases and clinical trials registries were searched for articles including "n-of-1" in the title between 2011 and 2023. The reference lists of reviews identified by the searches were searched for any additional eligible articles. Randomised n-of-1 trials were selected for inclusion and data were extracted on a range of design, population, and analysis characteristics. Descriptive statistics were produced for all variables. RESULTS We identified 74 studies meeting our eligibility criteria, 13 of which (17.6%) were conducted in rare conditions. They were conducted in a range of clinical areas with the most common being neurological conditions (n = 16, 21.6%). The median (Q1, Q3) number of participants randomised was 9 (4, 20) and 12 trials (16.2%) involved a single patient only. Forty-six (62.2%) trials evaluated pharmaceutical interventions and 49 (66.2%) trials were placebo controlled. Trials had a median (Q1, Q3) of six (4, 8) periods and 61 (82.4%) compared two health technologies. Fifty-seven (77.0%) trials incorporated blinding and 32 (43.2%) had a washout period. Forty-nine trials (66.2%) used patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to assess the primary outcome. Trials used a range of approaches to analysis and 48 (64.9%) combined data from multiple patients. The characteristics of the n-of-1 trials conducted in rare conditions were generally consistent with those in non-rare conditions. CONCLUSIONS n-of-1 trials are still underused and the application of the n-of-1 design for the evaluation of health technologies for rare diseases has been particularly limited. We have summarised the characteristics of randomised n-of-1 trials in rare and non-rare conditions. We hope that it can inform researchers in the design of future n-of-1 studies. Further work is required to provide guidance on specific design considerations, implementation, and statistical analysis of these studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Hawksworth
- Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU), Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
| | - Robin Chatters
- Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU), Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Steven Julious
- Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Andrew Cook
- Clinical Trials Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Katie Biggs
- Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU), Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Kiera Solaiman
- Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU), Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Michael C H Quah
- School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sxe Chang Cheong
- School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Suárez-Herrera N, Li CHZ, Leijsten N, Karjosukarso DW, Corradi Z, Bukkems F, Duijkers L, Cremers FPM, Hoyng CB, Garanto A, Collin RWJ. Preclinical Development of Antisense Oligonucleotides to Rescue Aberrant Splicing Caused by an Ultrarare ABCA4 Variant in a Child with Early-Onset Stargardt Disease. Cells 2024; 13:601. [PMID: 38607040 PMCID: PMC11011354 DOI: 10.3390/cells13070601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Precision medicine is rapidly gaining recognition in the field of (ultra)rare conditions, where only a few individuals in the world are affected. Clinical trial design for a small number of patients is extremely challenging, and for this reason, the development of N-of-1 strategies is explored to accelerate customized therapy design for rare cases. A strong candidate for this approach is Stargardt disease (STGD1), an autosomal recessive macular degeneration characterized by high genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity. STGD1 is caused by pathogenic variants in ABCA4, and amongst them, several deep-intronic variants alter the pre-mRNA splicing process, generally resulting in the insertion of pseudoexons (PEs) into the final transcript. In this study, we describe a 10-year-old girl harboring the unique deep-intronic ABCA4 variant c.6817-713A>G. Clinically, she presents with typical early-onset STGD1 with a high disease symmetry between her two eyes. Molecularly, we designed antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) to block the produced PE insertion. Splicing rescue was assessed in three different in vitro models: HEK293T cells, fibroblasts, and photoreceptor precursor cells, the last two being derived from the patient. Overall, our research is intended to serve as the basis for a personalized N-of-1 AON-based treatment to stop early vision loss in this patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Suárez-Herrera
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.S.-H.); (N.L.); (D.W.K.); (Z.C.); (F.B.); (L.D.); (F.P.M.C.); (A.G.)
| | - Catherina H. Z. Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (C.H.Z.L.); (C.B.H.)
| | - Nico Leijsten
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.S.-H.); (N.L.); (D.W.K.); (Z.C.); (F.B.); (L.D.); (F.P.M.C.); (A.G.)
| | - Dyah W. Karjosukarso
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.S.-H.); (N.L.); (D.W.K.); (Z.C.); (F.B.); (L.D.); (F.P.M.C.); (A.G.)
| | - Zelia Corradi
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.S.-H.); (N.L.); (D.W.K.); (Z.C.); (F.B.); (L.D.); (F.P.M.C.); (A.G.)
| | - Femke Bukkems
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.S.-H.); (N.L.); (D.W.K.); (Z.C.); (F.B.); (L.D.); (F.P.M.C.); (A.G.)
| | - Lonneke Duijkers
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.S.-H.); (N.L.); (D.W.K.); (Z.C.); (F.B.); (L.D.); (F.P.M.C.); (A.G.)
| | - Frans P. M. Cremers
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.S.-H.); (N.L.); (D.W.K.); (Z.C.); (F.B.); (L.D.); (F.P.M.C.); (A.G.)
| | - Carel B. Hoyng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (C.H.Z.L.); (C.B.H.)
- Dutch Center for RNA Therapeutics, 2311 EZ Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alejandro Garanto
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.S.-H.); (N.L.); (D.W.K.); (Z.C.); (F.B.); (L.D.); (F.P.M.C.); (A.G.)
- Dutch Center for RNA Therapeutics, 2311 EZ Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Amalia Children’s Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rob W. J. Collin
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.S.-H.); (N.L.); (D.W.K.); (Z.C.); (F.B.); (L.D.); (F.P.M.C.); (A.G.)
- Dutch Center for RNA Therapeutics, 2311 EZ Leiden, The Netherlands
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3
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Trachtman H, Desmond H, Williams AL, Mariani LH, Eddy S, Ju W, Barisoni L, Ascani HK, Uhlmann WR, Spino C, Holzman LB, Sedor JR, Gadegbeku C, Subramanian L, Lienczewski CC, Manieri T, Roberts SJ, Gipson DS, Kretzler M. Rationale and design of the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) Match in glomerular diseases: designing the right trial for the right patient, today. Kidney Int 2024; 105:218-230. [PMID: 38245210 PMCID: PMC11090626 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2023.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Glomerular diseases are classified using a descriptive taxonomy that is not reflective of the heterogeneous underlying molecular drivers. This limits not only diagnostic and therapeutic patient management, but also impacts clinical trials evaluating targeted interventions. The Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) is poised to address these challenges. The study has enrolled >850 pediatric and adult patients with proteinuric glomerular diseases who have contributed to deep clinical, histologic, genetic, and molecular profiles linked to long-term outcomes. The NEPTUNE Knowledge Network, comprising combined, multiscalar data sets, captures each participant's molecular disease processes at the time of kidney biopsy. In this editorial, we describe the design and implementation of NEPTUNE Match, which bridges a basic science discovery pipeline with targeted clinical trials. Noninvasive biomarkers have been developed for real-time pathway analyses. A Molecular Nephrology Board reviews the pathway maps together with clinical, laboratory, and histopathologic data assembled for each patient to compile a Match report that estimates the fit between the specific molecular disease pathway(s) identified in an individual patient and proposed clinical trials. The NEPTUNE Match report is communicated using established protocols to the patient and the attending nephrologist for use in their selection of available clinical trials. NEPTUNE Match represents the first application of precision medicine in nephrology with the aim of developing targeted therapies and providing the right medication for each patient with primary glomerular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard Trachtman
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Hailey Desmond
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Amanda L Williams
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Laura H Mariani
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Sean Eddy
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Wenjun Ju
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Laura Barisoni
- Department of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Heather K Ascani
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Wendy R Uhlmann
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Cathie Spino
- Statistical Analysis, Biomedical and Educational Research Unit, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lawrence B Holzman
- Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John R Sedor
- Department of Kidney Medicine, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Crystal Gadegbeku
- Department of Kidney Medicine, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Lalita Subramanian
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Chrysta C Lienczewski
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Tina Manieri
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Scott J Roberts
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Debbie S Gipson
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Matthias Kretzler
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
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4
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Gammaldi N, Doccini S, Bernardi S, Marchese M, Cecchini M, Ceravolo R, Rapposelli S, Ratto GM, Rocchiccioli S, Pezzini F, Santorelli FM. Dem-Aging: autophagy-related pathologies and the "two faces of dementia". Neurogenetics 2024; 25:39-46. [PMID: 38117343 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-023-00739-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is an umbrella term referring to the most frequent childhood-onset neurodegenerative diseases, which are also the main cause of childhood dementia. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying the NCLs remain elusive, evidence is increasingly pointing to shared disease pathways and common clinical features across the disease forms. The characterization of pathological mechanisms, disease modifiers, and biomarkers might facilitate the development of treatment strategies.The DEM-AGING project aims to define molecular signatures in NCL and expedite biomarker discovery with a view to identifying novel targets for monitoring disease status and progression and accelerating clinical trial readiness in this field. In this study, we fused multiomic assessments in established NCL models with similar data on the more common late-onset neurodegenerative conditions in order to test the hypothesis of shared molecular fingerprints critical to the underlying pathological mechanisms. Our aim, ultimately, is to combine data analysis, cell models, and omic strategies in an effort to trace new routes to therapies that might readily be applied in the most common forms of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Gammaldi
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - S Doccini
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy.
| | - S Bernardi
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Marchese
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Cecchini
- National Enterprise for nanoScience and nanoTechnology (NEST), Nanoscience Institute-National Research Council (CNR) and Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - R Ceravolo
- Unit of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - S Rapposelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - G M Ratto
- National Enterprise for nanoScience and nanoTechnology (NEST), Nanoscience Institute-National Research Council (CNR) and Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - S Rocchiccioli
- Clinical Physiology-National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - F Pezzini
- Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Pediatrics and Gynecology (Child Neurology and Psychiatry), University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - F M Santorelli
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
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5
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Goodwin AM, Miller D, D’Angelo S, Perrin A, Wiener R, Greene B, Romain AMN, Arader L, Chandereng T, Kuen Cheung Y, Davidson KW, Butler M. Protocol for randomized personalized trial for stress management compared to standard of care. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1233884. [PMID: 37794909 PMCID: PMC10546313 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1233884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is a significant public health burden in the United States, with most Americans reporting unhealthy levels of stress. Stress management techniques include various evidence-based treatments shown to be effective but with heterogeneous treatment responses, indicating a lack of uniform benefits for all individuals. Designed to assess a participant's response to a specific intervention, personalized (N-of-1) trials provide guidance for which treatment (s) work (s) best for the individual. Prior studies examining the effects of mindfulness meditation, yoga, and walking for stress reduction found all three interventions to be associated with significant reductions in self-reported measures of stress. Delivering these treatments using a personalized trial approach has the potential to assist clinicians in identifying the best stress management techniques for individuals with persistently high stress while fostering treatment decisions that consider their personal condition/barriers. This trial will evaluate a personalized approach compared to standard of care for three interventions (guided mindfulness meditation; guided yoga; and guided brisk walking) to manage perceived stress. Participants will respond to daily surveys and wear a Fitbit device for 18 weeks. After a 2-week baseline period, participants in the personalized trial groups will receive 12 weeks of interventions in randomized order, while participants in the standard-of-care group will have access to all interventions for self-directed stress management. After intervention, all participants will undergo 2 weeks of observation, followed by two additional weeks of the stress management intervention of their choosing while continuing outcome measurement. At study completion, all participants will be sent a satisfaction survey. The primary analysis will compare perceived stress levels between the personalized and standard of care arms. The results of this trial will provide further support for the use of personalized designs for managing stress. Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05408832. Protocol version: 9/14/2022, 21-0968-MRB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M. Goodwin
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Danielle Miller
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Stefani D’Angelo
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alexandra Perrin
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ruby Wiener
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Brittney Greene
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
- State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Anne-Marie N. Romain
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
- Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, United States
| | - Lindsay Arader
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychology, St. John’s University, Jamaica, NY, United States
| | - Thevaa Chandereng
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ying Kuen Cheung
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Karina W. Davidson
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Mark Butler
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
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6
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Samuel JP, Wootton SH, Tyson JE. N-of-1 trials: The epitome of personalized medicine? J Clin Transl Sci 2023; 7:e161. [PMID: 37528940 PMCID: PMC10388431 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2023.583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Observational studies are notoriously susceptible to bias, and parallel-group randomized trials are important to identify the best overall treatment for eligible patients. Yet, such trials can be expected to be a misleading indicator of the best treatment for some subgroups or individual patients. In selected circumstances, patients can be treated in n-of-1 trials to address the inherent heterogeneity of treatment response in clinical populations. Such trials help to accomplish the ultimate goal of all biomedical research, to optimize the care of individual patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce P. Samuel
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Clinical Research and Evidence-Based Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Susan H. Wootton
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Clinical Research and Evidence-Based Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jon E. Tyson
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Clinical Research and Evidence-Based Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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7
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Schork NJ, Beaulieu-Jones B, Liang WS, Smalley S, Goetz LH. Exploring human biology with N-of-1 clinical trials. CAMBRIDGE PRISMS. PRECISION MEDICINE 2023; 1:e12. [PMID: 37255593 PMCID: PMC10228692 DOI: 10.1017/pcm.2022.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Studies on humans that exploit contemporary data-intensive, high-throughput 'omic' assay technologies, such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, have unequivocally revealed that humans differ greatly at the molecular level. These differences, which are compounded by each individual's distinct behavioral and environmental exposures, impact individual responses to health interventions such as diet and drugs. Questions about the best way to tailor health interventions to individuals based on their nuanced genomic, physiologic, behavioral, etc. profiles have motivated the current emphasis on 'precision' medicine. This review's purpose is to describe how the design and execution of N-of-1 (or personalized) multivariate clinical trials can advance the field. Such trials focus on individual responses to health interventions from a whole-person perspective, leverage emerging health monitoring technologies, and can be used to address the most relevant questions in the precision medicine era. This includes how to validate biomarkers that may indicate appropriate activity of an intervention as well as how to identify likely beneficial interventions for an individual. We also argue that multivariate N-of-1 and aggregated N-of-1 trials are ideal vehicles for advancing biomedical and translational science in the precision medicine era since the insights gained from them can not only shed light on how to treat or prevent diseases generally, but also provide insight into how to provide real-time care to the very individuals who are seeking attention for their health concerns in the first place.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. J. Schork
- Department of Quantitative Medicine, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Net.bio Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - B. Beaulieu-Jones
- Net.bio Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA
- University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - S. Smalley
- Net.bio Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA
- The University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - L. H. Goetz
- Department of Quantitative Medicine, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Net.bio Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA
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