Intermountain lab expands precision medicine with pharmacogenomics RxMatch service

The provider will integrate genomic medicine into clinical care and give all its providers access to that information, officials say.

By Bernie Monegain

May 14, 2018

11:52 AM

Intermountain Precision Genomics Core Laboratory announced today it is expanding RxMatch. The pharmacogenomics service – the study of how genes affect a patient’s response to medication – will be made available to all Intermountain Healthcare providers.

The growth of the effort is indicative of how precision medicine programs across the world are taking off like never before, fueled by the adoption of early diagnosis, an increasing number of adverse drug reaction cases, high prevalence of chronic disease and advancements in genetic science.

The global precision medicine market is expected to reach $141.7 billion by 2026, according to a recent report by BIS Research.

The Intermountain lab launched RxMatch as an antidepressant panel in September 2017, the RxMatch Comprehensive Panel introduced today expands the gene targets from 36 to 97.

The panel includes opioids, statins, immune-suppressants, antidepressants and many more. Intermountain will integrate the resulting genomic medicine into clinical care while it also manages the information obtained through genomic sequencing, according to Intermountain.

“The objective of this project is to provide the most comprehensive and evidence-based information to the physician," David Loughmiller, laboratory manager for Intermountain Precision Genomics, said in a statement. The result, Loughmiller noted, is “decreasing the amount of time and money spent to achieve the correct medication.”

“The results are used to guide proper dosage based on a patient’s specific DNA genotype,” Tom Neuwerth, clinical technology consultant for Intermountain Precision Genomics Lab, added. “Small genetic variations impact how a patient metabolizes and responds to drugs. Our test helps ordering providers prescribe the right medication, at the right dose, at the right time.”

Patients supply DNA samples using cheek swabs collected by their physicians. Once samples are received, the lab makes comprehensive reports available within a week.

Intermountain’s announcement comes just three days ahead of the HIMSS Precision Medicine Summit, slated for May 18-19, 2018 in the nation’s capital.