The genetic causes of side-effects to direct oral anticoagulants are to be the subject of an investigation in the UK as part of a pioneering project.
Known as the Yellow Card Biobank, the project involves the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Genomics England, and uses the MHRA’s database of reported side-effects to analyse for genetic factors.
The latest project will seek to identify whether a person’s genetic makeup could lead them to suffer from excessive bleeding. In the future, this will help scientists identify ways to tailor drug treatments to reduce the problem.
Sequencing will begin later this year and researchers hope to announce findings next year.
Professor Matt Brown, Chief Scientific Officer at Genomics England, said: “We are delighted to be taking this next step in our partnership with the MHRA towards harnessing the power of genomics to break new ground in medicine safety.
“Many adverse drug reactions are influenced by underlying genetic risk factors. We hope that through the Yellow Card Biobank pilot we will gain a deeper understanding of these genetic influences that in turn could help patients to receive the best and safest treatment possible.”
MHRA chief executive Dr June Raine said: “We are excited to launch the second phase of the Yellow Card Biobank, which demonstrates that we are at the absolute forefront of innovation in the field of drug safety monitoring. Almost a third of adverse reactions to medicines could be prevented with the introduction of genetic testing. The Yellow Card Biobank will help us move towards our goal of personalised medicine.”
Source: MHRA
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