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November 10, 2005Predicting Clozapine Treatment EffectivenessRead more... Schizophrenia Genetics
· Schizophrenia Medications
Researchers from LGC (an independent, European, analytical laboratory) and King's College London have developed a new genetic screening test that will predict whether or not an individual with schizophrenia will respond well to the antipsychotic, clozapine. Dr Paul Debenham and Professor Robert Kerwin, two researchers involved in the test's development, discussed their findings Tuesday at the 'Good Practice in Biological Investigation' conference at the Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill campus. Currently, clozapine may be the most effective licensed drug for treatment resistant schizophrenia. Unfortunately, the drug can have severe side effects, including a potentially dangerous decrease in white blood cells, which are an important part of the immune system. It is usually only prescribed when other medications have failed and on average, patients go through four other medications over a period of five years before receiving clozapine. During this period of drug experimentation, patients most likely continue to suffer debilitating symptoms and the stress of repeatedly changing prescriptions and medication routines. This new test, which is based on the analysis of specific genetic sequences, would help clinicians tailor treatment to the needs of the patient. Individuals who are predicted to respond well to clozapine could be prescribed the drug much earlier in the course of their treatment and hopefully eliminate the suffering caused by ineffective treatment. The test is the result of thirteen years of research at King's College and will be ready for distribution to the clinical community, through LGC, starting in early January 2006.
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The script is brief and shallow. elaborate on the tests
Posted by: Peace at April 10, 2008 11:17 PM