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SAN DIEGO, July 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Millennium Laboratories announced today that it has expanded its pharmacogenetic test (Millennium PGTSM) to include seven additional genes. The expanded test gives clinicians additional, objective information, based on patients' own genetics to help determine their potential response to a broad list of medications commonly prescribed across four key therapeutic areas, including pain, mental health, addiction and cardiovascular therapy. Millennium PGT now analyzes clinically relevant genetic variants for 11 genes related to medication response to help clinicians individualize prescribing decisions. The Millennium Analysis of Patient Phenotype (MAPP®) Report provides clinicians with evidence based and clinically actionable information to support medication decisions for over 30 commonly prescribed medications across 14 medication classes. The MAPP Report also includes information for 20 medications with pharmacogenetic information or specific recommendations related to use in their U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved labels.   "Millennium is providing clinical tools for improving care for all patients, and through investments in the newest technologies, we have delivered on that promise with our expanded PGT offering," said Chief Executive Officer, Brock Hardaway. "This milestone allows us to continue fulfilling a crucial need in health care, and offers additional tools that may help providers make more effective, individualized medication choices to get their patients on the path to wellness faster." This saliva-based test helps clinicians determine, based on genetics, which medications are more likely to work for an individual patient, while helping them to avoid prescribing those more likely to cause adverse reactions. Millennium PGT helps health care providers minimize trial and error prescribing potentially shortening the time it takes for patients to feel better. "It is very good to know it's the right drug, and it's very good to know that you're giving the right dose, and it's good to know that that patient is going to respond in the way you hope," said Dr. Manya Helman, family practice physician, Salem, Ore. "To be able to give the right drug, in the right dose, to right patient is exactly what our goal is." In addition to the core offerings of CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP2B6, and UGT2B15, this expansion will significantly broaden Millennium's PGT menu to include CYP2C9, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, as well as VKORC1, COMT, MTHFR and OPRM1. Paired with PGT ConsultSM, a mobile application that provides evidence-based clinical decision support to health care providers, Millennium PGT is helping clinicians optimize patient care.  About Millennium PGT Millennium PGT is a laboratory developed pharmacogenetic test that analyzes clinically important genetic variations associated with how patients may respond to many commonly prescribed medicines. Millennium PGT is a saliva based test that provides clinicians with objective information that may help them individualize medication treatment decisions. Millennium PGT is paired with the MAPP® Report, which provides clinicians with actionable information, based on a patient's own genetics, about their potential response to over 30 medications prescribed across four key therapeutic areas: pain, mental health, addiction and cardiovascular therapy. Together with PGT Consult, a mobile application that provides evidence-based clinical decision support, the combination of tools helps clinicians individualize medications to their patient's unique genetics, maximizing the opportunity for successful outcomes. About Millennium Laboratories Millennium Laboratories, a leader in the science of medication monitoring and pharmacogenetics, is transforming the way health care professionals monitor and manage their patients' medication therapy. Through the use of advanced technology, supported by research and education, Millennium helps practitioners personalize care for patients. Building on this strong foundation, Millennium aims to expand its impact by helping more people affected by chronic illnesses and dedicating itself to filling a crucial unmet need in health care. More information can be found at . Logo - Logo - SOURCE Millennium Laboratories, LLC Help employers find you! Check out all the jobs and post your resume.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Genetic testing can be used to help personalize the therapeutic dosage of warfarin, a commonly-used anticoagulant, according to research published in the September 1, 2007, issue of Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology. This result represents one of the first applications of using an individual's genetic information to guide personal medical care. Because individuals metabolize drugs differently, varying doses of warfarin are needed for the drug to be effective in each patient. Too much warfarin can cause severe bleeding, and too little can cause dangerous blood clots. Currently, there is little guidance for predicting how much of the drug a person will need. Physicians have had to roughly estimate an initial dose of warfarin and then continually monitor a patient's International Normalized Ratio (INR) value (a measure of how fast the blood clots), during treatment to tweak the dosage by trial and error. For the first time, a group of St. Louis researchers combined the standard INR method with genetic testing to predict the therapeutic warfarin dose. Since warfarin is often prescribed after major orthopedic surgery to prevent blood clots in the legs, the study followed 92 adults undergoing either total hip or knee replacement at the Washington University Medical Center, who had never previously taken the anticoagulant. Prior to warfarin treatment, the researchers collected blood samples and each patient's medical history. The blood tests were used to examine variations in two genes, CYP2C9 and VKORC1, that may affect warfarin dosing. Variants in CYP2C9 impair the body's breakdown of warfarin; variants in VKORC1 cause increased warfarin sensitivity. The patients were assigned initial doses of warfarin based on clinical factors and their genotype. The researchers followed the patients until successful treatment outcomes were achieved several weeks later. By combining variants in these genes with initial INR response and other clinical factors, the researchers derived a dosing equation that estimated the therapeutic warfarin dose. The researchers found that these two genes were important in predicting the response to warfarin. Additional factors, such as blood loss during surgery and smoking status, also correlated with therapeutic dose. Using these data, the researchers developed a therapeutic model that could be used by physicians to refine warfarin dosage with greater accuracy than clinical factors alone. The researchers have made this dosing model publicly available on a free Web site, , and are now validating it in orthopedic and non-orthopedic patients beginning warfarin therapy. If validated, particularly in patients taking warfarin for reasons other than orthopedic surgery, such as to prevent stroke, this gene-based dosing could predict a safe and effective warfarin dose at the start of treatment, thus minimizing the risks of the current trial-and-error approach. This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Reporters who wish to receive a copy of the study or arrange an interview with Brian F. Gage, MD, MSc, lead author of the study, may contact Laura Stark at 202-776-0544 or lstark@hematology.org. The American Society of Hematology ( ) is the world's largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders. Its mission is to further the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic, and vascular systems, by promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology, is the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field. Blood is issued to Society members and other subscribers twice per month, available in print and online at . American Society of Hematology CONTACT: Laura Stark of the American Society of Hematology, +1-202-776-0544, lstark@hematology.org Web site: