Precision Psychiatry 101: Impact
Precision Psychiatry 101 is a four-part series highlighting pillars of Alto’s approach to psychiatric drug development that matches the right patient with the right drug.
In the past decade, revolutionary breakthroughs in therapeutic areas including oncology and gene therapy have been enabled by precision medicine. Although tailoring treatments to a person’s unique biology has proved beneficial and life-saving, mental health has failed to innovate in this way.
Finally, the field of psychiatry is harnessing big data and machine learning approaches to develop digital tools, diagnostics, and therapeutics that show potential to reveal and treat sub-populations of patients within and across CNS disease states. The identification of AI-derived brain biomarkers and development of corresponding therapeutics is enabling precision psychiatry, and for the first time, meaningful clinical impact for people experiencing mental health conditions.
Progress over Perfection
When it comes to creating tangible impact for patients, the goal is not always perfection, but transformation. In psychiatry, the advent of precision medicine has initiated a paradigm shift, moving away from one-size-fits-all therapies towards personalized, patient-centric treatments.
Through over a decade of clinical research, Alto Neuroscience has been able to identify relevant brain biomarkers by analyzing drug versus placebo response and capturing data that guides drug-response predictions. Using this novel development approach, perfection isn't required for precision.
If successful, precision psychiatry has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of mental healthcare with more accurate diagnoses and targeted treatments. The impact of such a transformation is colossal, even if cures for various mental health conditions remain elusive.
Human-Focused Research
Alto is focused on gathering human data to generate near-term impact for patients. While animal models have historically been vital in understanding diseases and testing potential therapies, the complexity of the human brain and psychiatric disorders requires a more nuanced approach. Research in precision psychiatry, therefore, largely relies on effects in humans. Non-invasive testing and machine learning algorithms allow Alto to delve deeper into the human mind and its disease states, bringing the field a step closer to understanding and treating each patient's unique psychiatric condition.
Impact in the Home
To achieve maximum real-world impact, Alto is scaling access to their biomarker tests and innovative research through fully remote, or decentralized, clinical studies. Hundreds of people have successfully enrolled in Alto’s first-of-their-kind at-home studies that ensure equity of opportunity across diverse populations and geography with respect to participation in innovative research. The company also hopes to democratize access to its diagnostic tests that identify the most effective treatment for a person, making them available to patients at little or no cost in the comfort of their homes.
Clinical Impact
While the implementation of precision psychiatry begins with research, its tangible impact is realized in clinical practice. The adoption of a precision psychiatry approach by physicians and psychiatrists is crucial to maximize patient benefit. However, this involves overcoming barriers, including education on this new biomarker-led treatment paradigm.
Alto has built a robust collaborative network of leading clinics, physicians, and researchers to support the collective mission of helping people get better, faster. Together, the vision of precision psychiatry – delivering targeted, effective treatments – can be realized to improve outcomes and reduce the burden of mental healthcare for patients, their families, physicians, payors, and society at large.
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If you are a doctor or clinic interested in learning more about participation in our drug trials, please send us an email at trials@altoneuroscience.com.
