Toronto-based company wants to bring precision medicine to community pharmacists

A Toronto company that wants to make DNA-based precision medicine more accessible to Canadians is advancing this mission by bringing pharmacogenomic testing to community pharmacies across the country. Inagene Diagnostics Inc., has forged partnerships with dozens of mostly independent pharmacies across the country, including a Medicine Shoppe in Sherwood Park, Alta., two Ontario Pharmasave sites—one in Virgil and another in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Through these partnerships, Inagene provides pharmacogenomic test kits that customers can purchase in-store and administer with the help of their pharmacist or in their home. “We believe that, as evidence mounts, pharmacogenomic testing is going to be a future component of healthcare,” said Ashwin Juneja, pharmacist leader and medical science liaison at Inagene, which launched three years ago with a focus on pain management and mental health. “As the first point of contact for many people seeking healthcare, pharmacists are well positioned to take a leading role.” Read: Innovator update: Kristen’s pharmacy Pharmacogenomics uses genetic analysis to determine how each patient metabolizes and responds to a drug. The application of pharmacogenomics in pharmacy can, according to its proponents, improve medication efficacy and prevent harmful side effects In the United States, the labeling for dozens of therapeutic drugs now include pharmacogenomic information, including specific action to be taken based on test results for certain biomarkers. Sigrun Watson, vice president, marketing and sales at Inagene, said this type of information can help patients avoid having to go through trial and error to find the right medication. In a recent study of 50 patients with pain and mental health conditions, Inagene found that 96% had tried more than six types of drugs over a three-year period. After doing an Inagene cheek swab test, more than 70% of the study group switched treatments, said Watson. “Our reports can help physicians, pharmacists and patients decide which drugs will have the highest likelihood of success,” she added. Inagene test kits, which are provided on consignment to pharmacy partners, retail for $299 for the pain and mental health test and $399 for the general, broader version. Results are posted to Inagene’s secure portal within five to seven days of the lab receiving the sample. “This provides an opportunity for pharmacists to provide counselling services,” said Juneja. Inagene test kits are licensed by Health Canada and samples are processed in a Canadian lab accredited by Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), the regulatory body for laboratory testing under the oversight of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Center for Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We are the only CLIA-accredited lab in Canada,” said Watson, noting that pharmacogenetic testing is now regulated in the U.S. but not in Canada. “CLIA has certified that we’re testing for the right genes and variants in pain and mental health, and that our results are 99.9% accurate.” Read: Pharmacy Leader: Sandra Leal - "I love the impact that pharmacists make on public health."

Toronto-based company wants to bring precision medicine to community pharmacists

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