CYP2D6

By Turna Ray
Two recently published pharmacogenetic analyses looking at the impact of CYP2D6 alleles on tamoxifen response found no evidence that patients who harbor these mutations fail to respond to the hormone therapy.

The pharmacy benefits manager will study whether its members are more willing to take -- and stick with -- antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs prescribed to them based on a genetic test that suggests they are most likely to benefit from such treatment.

Although the studies presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium did not resolve questions about the role of CYP2D6 genotypes or myriad other factors contributing to variability in tamoxifen metabolism, an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic offered some recommendations as to the types of studies that will be necessary to fill knowledge gaps in the field.

The study found that when doctors and their patients were educated about PGx-guided dosing for warfarin and tamoxifen in a pharmacy-initiated personalized medicine program, the testing rate increased 45-fold for warfarin and seven-fold for tamoxifen.

AssureRx has added a fifth gene, CYP1A2, to its GeneSightRx pharmacogenomic test to guide treatment decisions for psychiatric patients.