CMS Approves Clinical Study Of Genetic Test To Predict Patient Response To Leading Anticoagulant Drug Warfarin

Main Category: Blood / Hematology
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials;  Genetics
Article Date: 28 Jul 2010 - 1:00 PDT

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Iverson Genetic Diagnostics announced the company has received approval from CMS to conduct a WARFARIN Clinical Study. The two-year study will assess the impact of genetic information in calculating doses and the changes in the rate of adverse events when initiating Warfarin drug therapy. These changes will be compared against doses initiated without genetic data. The randomized and blinded, multi-center study will involve more than 7000 participants at over 50 sites nationwide.

The specific CMS approval is for a clinical study under Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) and will cover pharmacogenetic testing of CYP2C9 or VKORC1 alleles to predict warfarin responsiveness. Iverson Genetic Diagnostic's CEO Dean Sproles commented, "The CMS approval of the WARFARIN Study is evidence of the growing role of genetics in helping doctors to develop optimal individual treatments for their patients. The data from this study will contribute to determining if the use of genetics in warfarin dosing reduces adverse health events."

Warfarin is a commonly used anticoagulant (blood thinner) and is most commonly known by the brand name of Coumadin®. The dosage and administration of warfarin must be individualized for each patient according to his or her response to the drug. Currently, these individual responses are evaluated on a trial-and-error basis.

Today, more than 2 million patients are prescribed warfarin in the United States each year. One to five percent experience a major bleeding event. The annual cost associated with warfarin complications is estimated to be $1.1 billion.1 Researchers have identified two specific genes, VKORC1 and CYP2C9 that contribute up to 60% of individual patient variations in response to using warfarin. The WARFARIN Study will evaluate changes in side-effects such as major hemorrhagic or thromboembolic events when using genetic information to determine individualized warfarin dosages.

The WARFARIN Study is being led by Principal Investigator Elizabeth Ofili, MD, Director of Clinical Research, Chief of Cardiology and Associate Dean for Clinical Research at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Ofili indicated that, "Warfarin is an essential drug for preventing blood clots. However, the adverse event rates need to be lowered. This study should help us understand how to use each patient's genetic information to deliver a safer and more effective dose."

The WARFARIN Study Steering Committee is accepting clinical sites interested in participation. Please visit here to obtain updated information about participation and progress.

1 McWilliam A, Letter R, and Nardinelli C. (2006) Health care savings from personalized medicine using genetic testing: the case of warfarin. Working Paper 06-23, AEI-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies (See here).

Source:
Iverson Genetics Diagnostics
Morehouse School of Medicine

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