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Review
. 2025 Jun;21(14):1745-1752.
doi: 10.1080/14796694.2025.2501523. Epub 2025 May 8.

Overcoming barriers to advanced biomolecular technologies that inform treatment of solid tumors: a roadmap to access

Jesús Garcia-Foncillas  1 , Arnaud Bayle  2   3 , Dirk Arnold  4 , Bernard Avouac  5 , Ahmad Awada  6 , Luis de la Cruz-Merino  7 , Åslaug Helland  8 , Ulrik Lassen  9 , Pierre Laurent-Puig  10 , Nicola Normanno  11 , Kristoffer Rohrberg  9 , Julien Taieb  12 , Albrecht Stenzinger  13
Affiliations
Review

Overcoming barriers to advanced biomolecular technologies that inform treatment of solid tumors: a roadmap to access

Jesús Garcia-Foncillas et al. Future Oncol. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

The advent of advanced biomolecular technologies for detecting molecular and genomic signatures of individual tumors has transformed oncology care, introducing proven methodologies that can inform treatment with matched targeted therapies and predict response at the individual patient level. However, access to these technologies has been hampered by multiple barriers, most notably price and obtainability. Other barriers include lack of knowledge of available technologies, concerns about value, and outdated infrastructures that impede critical operations within the clinic or laboratory. Accessibility barriers to advanced biomolecular testing are critically important to patient care, as new technological advances in molecular medicine continue to outpace the implementation of solutions. Given the proven evidence for improved patient outcomes with precision oncology medicines, it is imperative to understand the value afforded by these technologies. The purpose of this narrative review is to describe existing and emerging barriers to access and present a "roadmap to access" that will facilitate the urgently needed discussions to identify solutions for improving access. Implementation of these solutions will raise awareness of available technologies and treatments and their prognostic significance, improve evidence collection for demonstration of value, and fortify clinical and laboratory infrastructure and operations.

Keywords: Precision oncology; access; barriers; biomarkers; biomolecular technology; diagnostics; prognostic; value.

Plain language summary

New molecular technologies in medicine have made it possible to match oncology drugs to molecular markers found on individual tumors, such that patients can received more personalized treatments that specifically target their tumors. However, these technologies are often underused because of their high prices and challenges with obtaining them. Other concerns that have restricted their use include the lack of understanding about what they do or what benefits they offer, the logistics of introducing these technologies to clinics or labs, and questions about direct and indirect costs of their use versus potential cost-savings from selecting the best available treatment. Here we describe the current barriers that prevent patients and their healthcare providers from using these new technologies. We propose a “roadmap to access” to describe solutions which will enable access to these technologies. These solutions will benefit the healthcare community by improving the awareness of available technologies and understanding of how they improve health outcomes, demonstrate their value, and improve operations within clinics and laboratories.

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Conflict of interest statement

  1. JGF has held consulting/advisory/honoraria speaker roles with Abbott, Amgen, Astellas, Astra Zeneca, Biocartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, BMS, Bayer, Celgene, Eisai, Foundation Medicine, GSK, Hospira, Janssen, Lilly, Merck Serono, MSD, Novartis, Pharmamar, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Servier, Sysmex and Tesaro.

  2. DA has received honoraria as a speaker and/or for participation into temporary advisory boards for Amgen, AstraZeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Boston Scientific, EliLilly, GSK, Janssen, Merck Serono, MSD, Pierre Fabre Pharma, Roche, Sanofi, Seagen, Takeda. DA is a non-paid scientific Advisory Board member of Oncolytics and Phanes.

  3. BA has no conflicts of interest to disclose.

  4. AB has received honoraria as a speaker and/or for participation into temporary advisory boards for Sanofi, Roche, Bayer ; Travel : Pfizer

  5. AA has held advisory roles for Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Daiichi, EISAI, Genomic Health, Hengrui, Innate, Ipsen, Leo Pharma, Lilly, Merck, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Seattle Genetics, and Menarini; received speaker fees from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Daiichi, EISAI, Genomic Health, Ipsen, Leo Pharma, Lilly, Merck, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Seattle Genetics, and Hekma; and received institutional research grants from BMS and Roche.

  6. LdlC has received payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events from Bristol Myers Squibb, MSD-Merck, Novartis, Incyte, Gilead, Daichii-Sankio, Astra-Zeneca.

  7. AH has participated in meetings arranged by industry (talks/advise/discussions). All fees to OUS. (Abbvie, Takeda, AstraZeneca, Roche, Pfizer, Janssen, EliLilly, BMS, PierreFabre, Bayer, MSD, Novartis, Merck, Sanofi, Medicover), and received support for research-projects from Roche, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Incyte, EliLilly, BMS, Ultimovacs, Merck, GSK.

  8. UL has served on advisory boards for Bayer, Pfizer, Novartis, and received research grants from BMS, Roche, Pfizer, Lilly, Incyte, Janssen and GSK.

  9. PL-P has been a consultant or advisory board member for Biocartis, Pierre Fabre, Amgen, Servier, and Sanofi. He owns stock in MethysDX. He is the president of canceropole Ile de France

  10. NN received fees as speaker and/or advisory board member for MSD, Bayer, Biocartis, Illumina, Incyte, Roche, BMS, MERCK, Thermofisher, Astrazeneca, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Servier; received institutional financial support to research projects from MERCK, Thermofisher, QIAGEN, Roche, Astrazeneca, Biocartis, Illumina; discloses to be President, International Quality Network for Pathology (IQN Path); Past President, Italian Cancer Society (SIC); Scientific Director, IRST “Dino Amadori”, Forlì

  11. KR discloses honoraria from Merck Sharp & Dohme; consulting/advisory role for Abbvie and Genmab; research funding paid to institute from Alligator Bioscience, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bioinvent, BioNTech SE, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Genmab, GSK, Incyte, Loxo, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Merus, Monta BioScience, Navir, Novartis, Orion Clinical, Pfizer, Puma Biotechnology, Repare Therapeutics, Roche/Genentech, Symphogen, and Turning Point Therapeutics; and travel/accommodation/expenses paid to institute from AstraZeneca.

  12. JT has received honoraria as a speaker and/or in an advisory role from AMGEN, Astellas, Astra Zeneca, BMS, Merck KGaA, MSD, Novartis, ONO pharmaceuticals, Pierre Fabre, Roche Genentech, Sanofi and Servier.

  13. AS has served on advisory boards or speaker’s bureaus for Aignostics, Amgen, Astellas, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, BMS, Eli Lilly, Illumina, Incyte, Janssen, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Qlucore, QuiP, Roche, Sanofi, Seagen, Servier, Takeda, Thermo Fisher, and received grants from Bayer, BMS, Chugai, and Incyte.

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