Pharmacogenomics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Pharmacogenomics, including details on pharmacology, designer drugs, customized medicines.

Pharmacogenomics and drug development.

Guo Y, Shafer S, Weller P, Usuka J, Peltz G

Roche Palo Alto, Department of Genetics and Genomics, S3-1, 3431 Hillview Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.

It is generally anticipated that pharmacogenomic information will have a large impact on drug development and will facilitate individualized drug treatment. However, there has been relatively little quantitative modeling to assess how pharmacogenomic information could be best utilized in clinical practice. Using a quantitative model, this review demonstrates that efficacy is increased and toxicity is reduced when a genetically-guided dose adjustment strategy is utilized in a clinical trial. However, there is limited information available regarding the genetic variables affecting the disposition or mechanism of action of most commonly used medications. These genetic factors must be identified to enable pharmacogenomic testing to be routinely used in the clinic. A recently described murine haplotype-based computational genetic analysis method provides one strategy for identifying genetic factors regulating the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of commonly used medications.

Published 14 December 2005 in Pharmacogenomics, 6(8): 857-64.
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