Genelex is excited to announce the next chapter in the company’s ongoing mission to improve patient care and reduce adverse drug events. Genelex is unveiling five new panels and 17 new genetic testing options to augment our existing panel of six tests that form the core of the YouScript Personalized Prescribing System.

In conjunction with the YouScript Personalized Prescribing software, all are designed to improve providers’ ability to further personalize medication therapy for their patients.

The five new panels join Genelex’s existing test panels that include testing for variations in the CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 drug-metabolizing enzymes and non-CYP tests for F2 (Factor  II), F5 (Factor V) Leiden, MTHFR, SLC6A4 (5-HTT) and VKORC1.

The new genetic tests (listed below) provide additional testing options and expand coverage to include drugs used for:

Cardiology

• SLCO1B1, variants which may lead to increased blood levels of statins.

Psychiatry

• CYP1A2, variants of which have been associated with altered metabolism of the schizophrenia medication clozapine.
• CYP2B6, variants of which have been associated with the efficacy of the antidepressant bupropion.
• GRIK4, variants of which have been associated with the efficacy of the antidepressant citalopram.
• HTR2A, variants of which have been associated with altered response to citalopram as well as differences in risk of side effects in SSRIs.
• HTR2C, variants of which have been associated with anti-psychotic-induced weight gain in patients with schizophrenia.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

• ADRA2A, variants of which have been associated with the effectiveness of the common ADHD medication methylphenidate.
• COMT, variants of which can directly impact dopamine levels, which may have emotional and behavioral effects.

 Addiction

• OPRM1, variants of which have been correlated with efficacy of the drug naltrexone in the treatment of alcoholism and opioid addiction

Infectious diseases

• HLA-A and HLA-B, variants of which have been associated with severe hypersensitivity to the HIV medication abacavir
• IFNL3, variants of which have been associated with response to drug regimens designed to treat Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1.
• NAT2, variants of which have been associated with altered metabolism of the tuberculosis-treating drug isoniazid.

Oncology

• DPYD, variants of which have been associated with the buildup of toxic levels of the drug 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), which treats various types of cancer.
• TPMT, variants of which have been associated with adverse effects of thiopurines, a class of drugs used to treat various cancers.

Smoking cessation

• COMT, variants of which have been associated with the effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy.

All the new genes are available for order as single tests or as part of panels geared toward different types of specialty care. The new panels and their included genes (both original and new) are:

• YouScript Psychotropic: CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP1A2, SLC6A4 (5-HTT) and HTR2A

• YouScript Psychotropic Plus: CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP3A4, ADRA2A, CYP1A2, CYP2B6, COMT, HTR2A, HTR2C, GRIK4, MTHFR and SLC6A4 (5-HTT)

• YouScript ADHD: CYP2D6, COMT and ADRA2A

• YouScript Cardio: CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, VKORC1, F2 (Factor II), F5 (Factor V), MTHFR and SLCO1B1

• YouScript Analgesic: CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, CYP2B6, COMT and OPRM1

Learn more about each gene on our test menu page. To find out how to order, contact a member of the YouScript Personalized Prescribing team or call 1-800-TEST-DNA.

Additionally, Pre-register here for upcoming webinars to learn more about the evidence behind these new tests and explore how to use them to improve patient care.