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.

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

Pathway Genomics personal genetic testing kits to be sold at Walgreens

Pathway Genomics, a U.S.-based genetic testing company, today announced that Pathway's personal genetic testing kits will be available at Walgreens. Starting in mid-May the Pathway Genomics Insight™ Saliva Collection Kit will be sold at many of Walgreens' nearly 7,500 stores nationwide (with the exception of New York, due to a New York state law). The Insight™ Saliva Collection Kit will retail in the $20 to $30 price range.

11 May 2010

Nanosphere reports $0.8 million revenue for first-quarter 2010

Nanosphere, Inc., a leader in the development and commercialization of advanced molecular diagnostics systems, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

6 May 2010

Decisive impact of informatics on nanomedicine

According to what researchers from Facultad de Informática and other institutions have advanced in an article just published in the prestigious medical journal Pediatric Research (Vol.6, No. 5, 2010), nanoparticles are poised to play a key role in medical research in the coming decades, when nanomedicine will become part of medical practice.

5 May 2010

Researchers use healthy person's complete genome sequence to predict risk for dozens of diseases

For the first time, researchers have used a healthy person's complete genome sequence to predict his risk for dozens of diseases and how he will respond to several common medications. The risk analysis, from the Stanford University School of Medicine, also incorporates more-traditional information such as a patient's age and gender and other clinical measurements.

30 Apr 2010

Consortium studies gene-drug relationship to determine optimal warfarin doses

If Julie Johnson had her way, doctors would check a patient's genes before writing a prescription. Everyone responds differently to medicines—one that works for you might not work for me, or it could even be harmful. These individual responses depend to an extent on our genetic make-up.

16 Apr 2010

Pathway Genomics Genetic Health Report helps make more informed health and lifestyle decisions

You may not suffer from any form of heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, but you could have a predisposition for these conditions based on more than just your lifestyle or diet. A family history of diabetes, gout, high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol can increase one’s risk regardless of lifestyle.

27 Mar 2010

PAREXEL genotypes over 10,000 potential study participants to identify 400 CYP2D6 poor metabolizers

PAREXEL International Corporation, a leading global biopharmaceutical services provider, today announced that it has completed a large and complex pharmacogenetics-based early phase study. The study was conducted in a healthy volunteer population of poor metabolizers of Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6), an important enzyme involved in the metabolism of drugs. The study monitored the QTc interval following administration of a neurological treatment, which has been shown to have a higher drug exposure in poor metabolizers of CYP2D6.

From Parexel 17 Mar 2010

Pharmacogenetics News and Research

Further Reading

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

Pathway Genomics personal genetic testing kits to be sold at Walgreens

Nanosphere reports $0.8 million revenue for first-quarter 2010

Decisive impact of informatics on nanomedicine

Researchers use healthy person's complete genome sequence to predict risk for dozens of diseases

Consortium studies gene-drug relationship to determine optimal warfarin doses

Pathway Genomics Genetic Health Report helps make more informed health and lifestyle decisions

PAREXEL genotypes over 10,000 potential study participants to identify 400 CYP2D6 poor metabolizers

Genetics & Genomics - Second Edition eBook

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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