6 VIEWS & REVIEWS

Pharmacogenomics may facilitate individualised drug therapy

'Science and technology will soon make itfeasible to use molecular diagnostics to more precisely select medications and dosages that are optimal for individual patients' , say Drs William Evans and Mary Relling from Memphis, Tennessee, US.

Drs Evans and Relling explain that genetic poly­morphism may have a role in the action of drugs in a number of ways. • Genes encoding the protein targets of drugs may

exhibit polymorphism which alters the sensitivity to drugs.

• Polymorphisms"involved in disease pathogenesis may influence the efficacy of drugs.

• Some polymorphisms may predispose patients to drug-related adverse effects. Drs Evans and ReIling say that in addition to

individualising drug therapy, pharmacogenomics has potential uses in drug development. They comment that taking DNA sequence variations into account 'will provide new insights for the development of medications that target critical pathways in disease pathogenesis and medications that can be used to prevent diseases in individuals who are genetically predisposed to them'. Furthermore, Drs Evans and Relling say that pharmacogenomics may allow drugs to be developed which are targeted for population subgroups which can be genetically identified. Evans WE. Reiling MV. PIwmacogenomics: translating functional genomics into rational therapeutics. Science 286: 487-491. IS Oct 1999 ..... 11.\

Inpharma-13 Nov 1999 No. 1213 1173-8324J9911213-OOO61$01.000 Adlslntematlonal Limited 1999. All rights reserved