In this Perspective, members of the group that previously proposed the Pharmacological Audit Trail (PhAT) as a tool to improve and accelerate drug development through the use of tissue biomarkers discuss the promise of integrating liquid biopsy approaches into this paradigm. They focus on the potential applications of plasma circulating cell-free tumour DNA and circulating tumour cells as prognostic, predictive, pharmacodynamic, clinical response and resistance biomarkers, while also highlighting key technological considerations, limitations and challenges, and the importance of analytical validation and clinical qualification.
- Abhijit Pal
- Rajiv Shinde
- Johann de Bono
