Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)

Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) is an enzyme involved in cellular energy metabolism, catalysing the interconversion of lactate and pyruvate during glycolysis and oxidative pathways. LDH is widely present across tissues, and elevated LDH levels in blood often reflect tissue damage, inflammation, hypoxia, or high cellular turnover. In oncology and infectious diseases, LDH can serve as a non-specific biomarker of disease burden, tumour aggressiveness, or systemic physiological stress.

The pharmaceutical industry uses LDH as both a safety marker and a disease-related biomarker across clinical development programmes. In cancer trials, LDH may correlate with prognosis and may be included as a baseline stratification factor or exploratory endpoint. In cell therapy and immunotherapy development, LDH release assays are frequently used in vitro to assess cytotoxicity, immune-mediated killing, and cell membrane integrity. Elevated LDH in patients may signal treatment-related toxicities, tumour lysis, or broader inflammatory responses, requiring careful clinical interpretation. Because LDH is not disease-specific, it is most valuable when analysed alongside clinical symptoms, imaging findings, and additional biomarkers, supporting integrated assessment of therapeutic response and safety.