Study on Horizon Scanning by Citation Network Analysis and Text Mining: A Focus on Drug Development Related to T Cell Immune Response

Abstract

Certain innovative technologies applied to medical product development require novel evaluation approaches and/or regulations. Horizon scanning for such technologies will help regulators prepare, allowing earlier access to the product for patients and an improved benefit/risk ratio. This study investigates whether citation network analysis and text mining of scientific papers could be a tool for horizon scanning in the field of immunology, which has developed over a long period, and attempts to grasp the latest research trends. As the result of the analysis, the academic landscape of the immunology field was identified by classifying 90,450 papers (obtained from PubMED) containing the keyword “immune* and t lymph*” into 38 clusters. The clustering was indicative of the research landscape of the immunology field. To confirm this, immune checkpoint inhibitors were used as a retrospective test topic of therapeutics with new mechanisms of action. Retrospective clustering around immune checkpoint inhibitors was found, supporting this approach. The analysis of the research trends over the last 3 to 5 years in this field revealed several candidate topics, including ARID1A gene mutation, CD300e, and tissue resident memory T cells, which shows notable progress and should be monitored for future possible product development. Our results have demonstrated the possibility that citation network analysis and text mining of scientific papers can be a useful objective tool for horizon scanning of life science fields such as immunology.

Application of Internet of Medical/Health Things to Decentralized Clinical Trials: Development Status and Regulatory Considerations

“…Figure 1 gives an outline of the citation network analysis process which has been published in references ( 16 , 17 , 20 ). We converted the citation network into an unweighted network, with papers as nodes and citation relationships as links.…”

Horizon Scanning in Tissue Engineering Using Citation Network Analysis

“…This study revealed that the analysis of the interdisciplinary fields is characterized by the distribution of articles in clusters of their basic technologies, which differs from AI-based medical products and immunology fields [ 12 , 13 ]. When applying horizon scanning based on the citation network analysis to an interdisciplinary research field confirming the development of the product or medical technology under consideration and evaluating not only the research trends in nonclinical studies toward clinical application but also trends in basic technologies that constitute the product or medical technology is necessary.…”

“…As noted in our previous studies [ 12 , 13 ], citation network analysis is useful as a primary screening method for horizon scanning because the method is automated and can be easily performed even by people who do not have a high level knowledge or skill in the targeted field. This method can be used for periodical analysis for monitoring the emergence of notable innovative technologies that may require novel regulatory expertise and development of guidance.…”