Cincinnati, OH - October 20, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- AssureRx, a personalized medicine company, announced today that it has begun a full launch of its first product, GeneSightRxTM. This lab-developed, pharmacogenetic test had previously been commercially available only on a limited basis. The test combines state-of–the-art genetic testing technology with a multi-variate, algorithmic, interpretive report to help guide physicians during their decision-making process before prescribing psychiatric medications.
Al Lucas, VP Sales and Marketing, stated, “There is a significant challenge in psychiatric medicine to quickly find the most appropriate medication for each individual patient, which may bring relief from symptoms, reduce or prevent hospitalization, and avoid severe side-effects. Until recently, doctors had no way of identifying patients who may have genetic variations that would affect how medications might work in each patient.”
Lucas went on to say,”GeneSightRxTM is a major advance in the field of Personalized Medicine. The results of the test are available in an easy-to-use, web-based report. Doctors will have a new tool to help them select medications for their patients.”
Each year over 25 million Americans are treated for a Mental Health Disorder, and over 200 million prescriptions for antidepressant medications are filled. Yet, the failure rate for these medications can be as high as 50%. While there are many factors contributing to this high failure rate, there is a strong correlation between a patient’s genetic makeup and their individual response to drugs.
James S. Burns, President & CEO, commented, “The launch of GeneSightRxTM represents a major advance in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. For the first time, the prescribing of psychotropic medications can be tailored to the unique genetic fingerprint of each patient, providing an evidence-based solution to physicians concerning which drugs are potentially more effective or less toxic on a patient-by-patient basis. GeneSightRxTM brings cutting-edge pharmacogenetics technology developed at Mayo Clinic and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center into routine clinical use.”
GeneSightRxTM is available by prescription only. It must be ordered by a physician. The results of the test are available in as little as 48 hours, and are strictly confidential. AssureRx is a CLIA-approved laboratory located in Mason, Ohio.
About AssureRx
AssureRx is a personalized medicine company that specializes in pharmacogenetics and is dedicated to helping physicians determine the right drug at the right dose for individual patients suffering from medical conditions. The company was founded in June 2006 to commercialize industry-leading personalized medicine technology. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Mayo Clinic are equity holders and technology collaborators.
More information on AssureRx visit: www.assurerxhealth.com
