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Pharma Tech Outlook | Friday, September 09, 2022
The field of pharmacogenomics studies how genes affect and how people respond to medications. The long-term goal is to help doctors choose the most suitable drugs and doses for each patient.
FREMONT, CA: Pharmacogenomics (also known as pharmacogenetics) examines how a person's genes affect and respond to medications. Its long-term objective is to assist physicians in selecting the optimal drugs and dosages for each patient. It is a subfield of precision medicine that seeks to treat each patient uniquely.
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What role do genes play in the efficacy of medicines?
Genes are DNA instructions for constructing protein molecules. Different individuals can have variants of the same gene. Each variant possesses a slightly distinct DNA sequence. Some of these variants are common, while others are uncommon. And some impact health, such as gene variants associated with specific diseases.
Scientists are aware that specific proteins affect the efficacy of drugs. The field of pharmacogenomics investigates variations in these proteins' genes. These proteins include liver enzymes that alter the chemical structure of drugs. Occasionally, chemical alterations can make drugs more or less active in the body. Even minute variations in the genes for these liver enzymes can significantly impact the safety or efficacy of a drug.
One liver enzyme, CYP2D6, interacts with a quarter of all prescription medications. For instance, it converts the analgesic codeine into morphine, its active form. There are over 160 different variants of the CYP2D6 gene. Many DNA sequences only differ by a single base pair. Others have more significant variations. Most of these variants do not affect how individuals respond to a drug.
People typically possess two copies of each gene. However, some individuals have hundreds or even thousands of CYP2D6 gene copies. Those with extra copies produce an excessive amount of the CYP2D6 enzyme and rapidly metabolize the drug. Due to this, their bodies may convert codeine to morphine so wholly and quickly that a standard dose may be considered an overdose. In contrast, specific variants of CYP2D6 produce an inactive enzyme. Individuals with these variants process codeine slowly, if at all, resulting in minimal pain relief. Doctors can prescribe a different medication for them.
How does pharmacogenomics influence the design, development, and prescribing guidelines of pharmaceuticals?
U.S. food and drug administrations (FDAs) are responsible for monitoring drug safety. It is currently included on the labels of approximately 200 medications. This information can assist physicians in customizing drug prescriptions for individual patients by providing guidance on dosage, potential side effects, and differences in efficacy for individuals with specific gene variants.
Pharmaceutical companies use pharmacogenomics to develop and market medicines for individuals with specific genetic profiles.
Pharmaceutical companies may be able to accelerate drug development and maximize its therapeutic value by studying drugs only in those most likely to benefit from them.
Researchers may be able to prescribe medicines only to individuals without the genes associated with severe side effects if they identify genes that cause these side effects. This would allow patients to receive potentially lifesaving medications that would otherwise not be available.
What effect does pharmacogenomics have on medical treatment?
Physicians prescribe medications based primarily on a patient's age, weight, sex, and liver and kidney function. Scientists have identified gene variants for a few drugs influencing how individuals react. In such situations, physicians can select the optimal medication and dosage for each patient.
A patient's reaction to medications helps to identify the various forms of their diseases.
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