Pharmacogenetics News and Research

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The terms pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics are often used interchangeably to describe a field of research focused on how genes affect individual responses to medicines. Whether a medicine works well for you—or whether it causes serious side effects—depends, to a certain extent, on your genes.

Just as genes contribute to whether you will be tall or short, black-haired or blond, your genes also determine how you will respond to medicines. Genes are like recipes—they carry instructions for making protein molecules. As medicines travel through your body, they interact with thousands of proteins. Small differences in the composition or quantities of these molecules can affect how medicines do their jobs.

These differences can be due to diet, level of activity, or the medicines a person takes, but they can also be due to differences in genes. By understanding the genetic basis of drug responses, scientists hope to enable doctors to prescribe the drugs and doses best suited for each individual.

AutoGenomics granted FDA 510(k) clearance for INFINITI CYP2C19 Assay

AutoGenomics, a leader in providing automated, molecular testing solutions announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market its INFINITI® CYP2C19 Assay. The test detects 3 genetic variants, *2, *3, *17, of the CYP450 2C19 gene and is to be used on the company's automated molecular testing platform, the INFINITI® Analyzer.

27 Oct 2010

2010 AAO-MEACO meeting focuses on genetic medicine

Genetic medicine is the focus of two presentations at today's Scientific Program of the 2010 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Middle East-Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) Joint Meeting. The AAO-MEACO meeting is in session October 16 through 19 at McCormick Place, Chicago. It is the largest, most comprehensive ophthalmic education conference in the world.

18 Oct 2010

Commercial genetic profiling services should provide detailed information about test results: Report

Direct-to-consumer personal genetic profiling services that claim to predict people's health risks by analysing their DNA are often inconclusive and companies that sell them should provide better information about the evidence on which the results are based, says the UK Nuffield Council on Bioethics, in a new report on the ethics of so-called personalised healthcare services.

13 Oct 2010

NIH to award $64M under Transformative Research Projects program

The National Institutes of Health will award up to $64 million over five years to encourage exploration of exceptionally innovative and original research ideas that have the potential for extraordinary impact.

4 Oct 2010

Boehringer Ingelheim, Eurofins Medigenomix partner in DNA banking and pharmacogenetics, pharmacogenomics

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, an international research-driven pharma company, and Eurofins Medigenomix GmbH, a competence center for genetic analyses of the Eurofins Scientific Group, concluded a long-term service agreement in the area of DNA banking, as well as a master service agreement for pharmacogenetic and pharmacogenomic services. For DNA banking Eurofins Medigenomix is supporting operations of Boehringer Ingelheim's central DNA bank at Biberach an der Riss.

23 Sep 2010

Researchers to develop vaginal microbicide gels to reduce HIV risk

With the support of an $11.8 million, five-year federal grant, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and their collaborators are developing a quick-dissolving vaginal film containing a powerful drug that reduces the risk of HIV infection, and they plan to begin testing it locally within a year.

17 Sep 2010

Diaceutics, London Genetics partner to develop software decision tools for biomarker research

Diaceutics Limited and London Genetics Limited, an expert in the use of pharmacogenetics in clinical drug discovery and development, today announce a strategic partnership to develop software decision tools that will provide biopharmaceutical companies with rapid and extensive access to the world's leading academic biomarker research groups.

15 Sep 2010

microRNA 451 enhances treatment response in stomach cancer patients: Research

"The high presence of microRNA 451 enhances the response to treatment with chemo-radiotherapy and increases the survival of patients with stomach cancer", explained Dr. Jesús García-Foncillas, chief researcher of the Pharmacogenomics Laboratory at the Applied Medical Research Centre (CIMA) and Director of Oncology at the University Hospital of Navarra. This was one of the results presented at the IV Congress of the Spanish Society for Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomic, recently held at CIMA.

15 Sep 2010

SAEC collaborates with Newcastle University for drug induced liver injury research

The International Serious Adverse Events Consortium (SAEC) announced today it will collaborate with Newcastle University to research the genetics of drug induced liver injury.

10 Sep 2010

Research into role of genetic variation in drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions

The International Serious Adverse Events Consortium (SAEC) announced today it will collaborate with The University of Liverpool (www.liv.ac.uk/pharmacogenetics) to research the genetics of a form of serious adverse drug reaction called hypersensitivity. These are thought to involve the body's immune system, and mostly involve serious skin rashes.

10 Sep 2010

NIH announces $161.3 million for expansion of Pharmacogenomics Research Network

The National Institutes of Health plans to spend $161.3 million over the next five years to expand the Pharmacogenomics Research Network (PGRN), a nationwide collaborative of scientists focused on understanding how genes affect a person's response to medicines.

8 Sep 2010

Scientists gather to present research findings at ASHG 2010 Meeting

The world's top scientists and clinicians in the human genetics field will gather in Washington, D.C., to present their latest research findings at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, from Tuesday, November 2, through Saturday, November 6, 2010, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.

8 Sep 2010

Penn receives $12M NIH grant to study pharmacogenetics of nicotine addiction treatment

A variety of smoking cessation treatments are currently available for the more than 18 million adult Americans try to quit smoking each year, but success rates vary widely. Despite the importance of quitting smoking, more personalized approaches to smoking cessation treatment are needed to help smokers pick the right method that will work best for them. A major new personalized medicine clinical trial, led by addiction researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, will study how a smokers' genetic make-up influences their quitting success.

8 Sep 2010

UCSF scientists to receive two grants for personalized medicine research

UCSF scientists will receive two grants totaling $15.1 million over the next five years to expand their research into how genes affect an individual's response to medication and to strengthen a global network of researchers involved in these efforts.

7 Sep 2010

First complete sample-to-result, point-of-care DNA testing system for personalized medicine

Spartan Bioscience Inc., a privately held molecular diagnostics company that develops, manufactures, and markets DNA testing systems for on-demand applications, today announced the availability of the Spartan RX, the first complete sample-to-result, point-of-care DNA testing system for personalized medicine. The non-invasive and easy-to-use system provides automated results in one hour, enabling physicians to tailor treatments based on a patient's genotype faster than ever before.

11 Aug 2010

AssureRx Health achieves CAP accreditation for laboratory pharmacogenetic testing services

AssureRx Health, Inc. today announced that it has received accreditation from the College of American Pathologists for the delivery of high-quality, reliable laboratory pharmacogenetic testing services that meet or exceed regulatory laboratory standards and ensure commitment to patient care.

11 Aug 2010

New insights into development and applications of pharmacogenomics in psychiatry

In recent years, there have been major developments in the fields of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, with the potential to make drug treatments in psychiatric medicine more effective. However, improvements in drug efficacy and tolerability, as well as finding the optimal dosage, can only be realized if in vivo mechanisms of drug action and ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) processes (pharmacokinetics) of psychopharmacological agents are better understood.

5 Aug 2010

QPS acquires Xendo Drug Development

QPS Holdings, LLC, a leading full-service GLP/GCP-compliant contract research organization providing testing services to support preclinical and clinical research and development, announced the completion of its acquisition of Xendo Drug Development BV (XDD), headquartered in Groningen, The Netherlands. XDD, a European contract research organization (CRO), will be known as QPS Netherlands BV and become a wholly-owned subsidiary of QPS Holdings, LLC.

26 Jul 2010

Dr Payne to receive RPS conference practice research award

Dr Katherine Payne has been announced the winner of the Pharmacy Practice Research Trust 2010 Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)Conference Practice Research Award. The award will be presented at the conference on Monday, 6th September when Dr Payne will deliver a plenary lecture on her prize-winning research.

23 Jul 2010

PGXL announces new contractual agreement with GH

PGXL, a Louisville-based molecular diagnostics laboratory, announced a new contractual agreement with Generation Health, Inc. The agreement makes PGXL a preferred genetic testing lab for GH. The lab will provide molecular diagnostic tests for GH, which will help physicians make therapeutic decisions and facilitate what has come to be known as "personalized medicine."

25 Jun 2010

Pharmacogenetics News and Research

Further Reading

AutoGenomics granted FDA 510(k) clearance for INFINITI CYP2C19 Assay

2010 AAO-MEACO meeting focuses on genetic medicine

Commercial genetic profiling services should provide detailed information about test results: Report

NIH to award $64M under Transformative Research Projects program

Boehringer Ingelheim, Eurofins Medigenomix partner in DNA banking and pharmacogenetics, pharmacogenomics

Researchers to develop vaginal microbicide gels to reduce HIV risk

Diaceutics, London Genetics partner to develop software decision tools for biomarker research

microRNA 451 enhances treatment response in stomach cancer patients: Research

SAEC collaborates with Newcastle University for drug induced liver injury research

Research into role of genetic variation in drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions

NIH announces $161.3 million for expansion of Pharmacogenomics Research Network

Scientists gather to present research findings at ASHG 2010 Meeting

Penn receives $12M NIH grant to study pharmacogenetics of nicotine addiction treatment

UCSF scientists to receive two grants for personalized medicine research

First complete sample-to-result, point-of-care DNA testing system for personalized medicine

AssureRx Health achieves CAP accreditation for laboratory pharmacogenetic testing services

New insights into development and applications of pharmacogenomics in psychiatry

QPS acquires Xendo Drug Development

Dr Payne to receive RPS conference practice research award

PGXL announces new contractual agreement with GH

Genetics & Genomics - Second Edition eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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