Recent years have seen a notable transformation in medicine. Here, we share some key medical advancements, how they are changing medicine, and what the future might hold
In recent years, medical advancements have shown an increasing focus on not just treating symptoms of a disease but influencing health right down to the molecular level
Coupled with the burgeoning capabilities of AI, we’ve seen a substantial shift in the medical landscape that brings with it plenty of opportunities for scientific innovation to develop at an unprecedented speed and scale
Below, we explore 5 standout areas of medical innovation during the 2020s
1. mRNA vaccines for viruses
Originally developed
for cancer, mRNA vaccines can be viewed as one of the most significant technological advances in modern vaccinology. Because they can be produced quicker than other types of vaccines, scientists can act faster than ever before when a new infectious threat emerges
Though mRNA technology had been in development for years, the COVID-19 vaccine’s quick and successful deployment demonstrated the potential for mRNA vaccines at a scale not previously seen
Rather than using a live or dead microbe, mRNA vaccines work by giving your cells temporary genetic instructions to produce a small part of the target microbe (known as an antigen)
Using mRNA eliminates the risk of whole microbes which must go through extra safety steps to make sure they cannot mutate back into a disease-causing entity
Additionally, as mRNA vaccines do not require the pathogen to be cultivated (grown) in a lab first, this time-consuming bottleneck existing with many other vaccine types is avoided
The most recent mRNA vaccine to be approved is the influenza vaccine
And more may be to come, as researchers also investigate mRNA vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus, CMV, Epstein-Barr virus, and HIV
2. Precision medicine and multi-‘omics
Modern medicine focuses more and more on precise targeting in place of a “one-size-fits-all” approach
Under the broad name of “precision medicine“, this approach underpins many aspects of the healthcare journey, from risk factor identification to diagnostics to treatment selection
Multi-omic profiling plays a huge part in precision medicine. This method goes beyond standard genetic testing, combining genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics to identify changes across multiple biological layers
Combined with environmental factors, this rich data profile can help healthcare professionals understand a person’s risk of disease and their response to a treatment in real-time
In recent years, ‘omics technologies have progressed rapidly, and look set to continue thanks to AI enabling
huge amounts of data to be processed and analyzed across disciplines. This allows for much more tailored treatments that consider multiple factors together
That’s not to say a drug will be made specifically for an individual — rather, that understanding the molecular characteristics and data profiles of groups of people with a particular condition can help inform the drug development process and assist in the creation of drugs that have the best chance of working for these populations
Multi ‘omics technologies can pull vast amounts of data from easy to collect liquid samples (known as ‘liquid biopsies’), helping diagnose rare diseases
and catch conditions much earlier and more easily
Multi-omic profiling of cancer can
identify mutations, track the proteins driving tumor growth, and map where these cells live in 3D tissuethe cancer can then be selected with higher precision. This reduces standard “trial and error” approaches, resulting in faster and more effective treatment
3. Personalized cancer vaccines
Though cancer treatment remains centred on traditional methods like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, it’s increasingly reinforced by harnessing the body’s own immune system to help fight cancer cells. This method is known as immunotherapy
One type of cancer immunotherapy is cancer vaccines. These are not preventive vaccines like the HPV vaccine for example, but therapeutic vaccines, i.e., they help treat existing cancer
So called “off-the-shelf” cancer vaccines target either common mutated proteins in cancers (known as shared neoantigens), or tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) — normal proteins that become overexpressed in cancer
However, an exciting development has come specifically in the field of neoantigen vaccines, where scientist have been working on developing personalized versions of these vaccines
How neoantigen vaccines work
mRNA
is typically the mechanism used in neoantigen vaccines. Much like mRNA vaccines for viruses, these RNA strands give your cells instructions to create harmless replicas — this time of cancer neoantigens — educating your immune system on what to look for, something akin to a ‘WANTED’ poster
Your immune system is now able to find and kill cancer cells containing this biomarker. Since cancer cells often learn to hide their neoantigens to evade detection, allowing large amounts of replica neoantigens to be produced in your body, forces your immune system to notice and kick into action with the specific target in mind
Recent progress
Many trials have shown promising results in recent years. However, Moderna/Merck’s neoantigen cancer vaccine for recurrent melanoma
has recently become the first to meet its endpoint in large phase 3 clinical trials
This key milestone in personalized neoantigen vaccines might unlock vast opportunities across the field of cancer
Though no neoantigen vaccine is currently FDA-approved (personalized or otherwise), the significant progress in this area offers new hope for the future of cancer treatment
4. GLP-1s for weight loss
Though GLP-1s for weight loss have been around since the 2010s, they saw a substantial surge in popularity following the FDA’s approval of Wegovy (semaglutide) in 2021
Many other weight loss injections required daily administering, had a worse side effect profile, and were overall less effective. Though Ozempic (semaglutide) could be prescribed off-label for weight loss, it was not until the higher dose version, Wegovy, took off, that Ozempic was really propelled into the spotlight, likely spurred on by its use among celebrities when supplies of Wegovy inevitably ran dry
In fact, the name “Ozempic” became almost synonymous with the entire category of GLP-1s during this tim
Another GLP-1 drug, Mounjaro (tirzepatide), emerged in 2022 with approval for type 2 diabetes (and off-label use for weight loss), quickly followed by Zepbound (tirzepatide), this time with specific FDA-approval for weight loss. Currently undergoing clinical trials is the newest GLP-1 injection, retatrutide, the first of its kind to target three hormone receptors
In recent years, we’ve also seen developments in the oral forms of GLP-1s
The latest GLP-1 pill, Foundayo (Orforglipron), was approved this year, joining the Wegovy pill approved in 2025. The latest pills are hailed to be more effective for weight loss with fewer side effects than the first-approved GLP-1 pill, Rybelsus, for diabetes (off-label use for weight loss) that came to market in 2019
However, the initial rush of GLP-1s for weight loss may be somewhat dampening in recent months amidst concerns over possible side effects, instances of misuse, and cosmetic rather than therapeutic motivations for use
It’s crucial to note that doctors still recommend a holistic approach for weight loss, considering diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors. In some cases, they might prescribe GLP-1s or other interventions in conjunction
Nevertheless, potential uses of this unique peptide drug may be set to expand even further
Current research is ongoing to determine how GLP-1s might benefit cardiovascular, kidney, liver, arthritis, and sleep apnea disorders. Mounjaro is the first to be approved by the FDA to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease people with type 2 diabetes at high risk
5. CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing
CRISPR-Cas9 is a molecular system used by bacteria as part of their natural defense system
This intricate mechanism allows bacteria to essentially vaccinate themselves against a microbe using fragments of the invading pathogen itself
The Cas9 enzyme cuts the invading pathogen’s DNA and the cut parts are woven into a region of the bacteria’s own genome, specifically the CRISPR sequence. When the bacteria next encounters the same pathogen, it can quickly recognize it, locate the matching DNA, and cut this section, killing the invader
Scientists have harnessed this very system as a precise tool for a type of gene therapy known as gene editing, often likened to a “find-and-replace” system
In this process, scientists create matching RNA pieces for the specific DNA sequence they want to target, such as a faulty gene involved in disease. The RNA pieces then move through the body, locate the gene, and cut it using the Cas9 enzyme, triggering the cells’ natural repair process. However, this time, when the DNA remakes itself, the faulty gene is instead replaced with the correct genetic sequence
The use of this molecular system is revolutionary in medicine, as it allows health care professionals to modify the underlying genetic cause of a condition right at the
In 2023, the first cell-based gene therapy using CRISPR-Cas9 therapy, Casgevy, was FDA-approved
for severe sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia (TDT). So far, these are the only approved uses
But research is ongoing, and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing could one day have uses in:
- heart attack repair
- Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA)
- high cholesterol
- Alzheimer’s disease
