Pharmacogenetics in Clinical Practice: How far Have we Come and where are we Going?

Abstract

Recent years have seen great advances in our understanding of genetic contributors to drug response. Drug discovery and development around targeted genetic (somatic) mutations has led to a number of new drugs with genetic indications, particularly for the treatment of cancers. Our knowledge of genetic contributors to variable drug response for existing drugs has also expanded dramatically, such that the evidence now supports clinical use of genetic data to guide treatment in some situations, and across a variety of therapeutic areas. Clinical implementation of pharmacogenetics has seen substantial growth in recent years and groups are working to identify the barriers and best practices for pharmacogenetic-guided treatment. The advances and challenges in these areas are described and predictions about future use of genetics in drug therapy are discussed.

KEYWORDS::

• clinical implementation
• pharmacogenetics
• pharmacogenomics

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Funded in part by NIH grants U01 GM074492 and R01 NS073346. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

Adapted with permission from [23,28].

CAP: College of American Pathologists; CLIA: Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments; ELSI: Ethical, legal and social implications.

Additional information

Funding

Funded in part by NIH grants U01 GM074492 and R01 NS073346. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.