Abstract: A method of stratifying a set of disease-exhibiting patients prior to clinical trial of a target therapy begins by using a molecular footprint derived from a knowledgebase and other patient data to identify genes that are differentially expressed in a direction consistent with increase in the target activity. Therapeutic target “signaling strength” in individual patients of the set is then assessed using the genes identified and a strength algorithm. Based on their therapeutic target signaling strength, the set of disease-exhibiting patients are then stratified along a continuum. One or more gene expressions or other biomarkers may be specified for use in categorizing other disease-exhibiting patient populations. Alternative therapeutic targets are analyzed with respect to the likely non-responders, as evidenced by their differential signaling strength.