NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) - Tm Bioscience said today that it will supply reagents to Medco Health Solutions and Mayo Collaborative Services for a joint clinical study of warfarin patients.
Under the agreement, Mayo and Medco will use Tm’s Tag-It reagents for P450-2C9 and VKORC1 in a study to determine whether genetic tests can cut costs and improve care for patients taking the blood-thinner warfarin.
In the study, originally announced in December, Medco and Mayo will perform genetic tests on 1,000 individuals taking warfarin, a common blood thinner used to prevent clotting in more than two million US patients each year.
The study aims to use the genetic tests to help physicians administer personalized dosages. One in five warfarin patients suffer “mild to severe” bleeding, said Mayo medical director Thomas Moyer.
The study is expected to be complete by the end of 2007.
Tm president and CEO Greg Hines said warfarin testing is “a significant near-term opportunity” for the company’s pharmacogenetic business.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
On Feb. 23, Tm shareholders will vote on whether to accept a stock-for-stock acquisition offer from Luminex, which hopes to expand the company’s reagent marketing opportunities through its international commercial network.