LOUISVILLE, KY – November 9, 2010 – SureGene, LLC today announced that it was awarded a $244,500 Therapeutic Discovery Project Tax Credit to support ongoing biomarker research and the development of a molecular diagnostic test designed to assist physicians in the selection of antipsychotic medications. The Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project was enacted as part of the health care reform legislation passed earlier this year and is managed by the IRS and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The biomarker being developed as a molecular diagnostic test is the SULT4A1-1 haplotype, a commonly occurring genetic variant of the SULT4A1 gene. Research conducted by SureGene suggests that the SULT4A1-1 haplotype may be useful in improving the safe use of antipsychotic drugs by identifying subpopulations of patients with schizophrenia who are more likely to experience drug related adverse events and variation in clinical response after treatment with specific atypical antipsychotics. SureGene will be submitting the results of its biomarker drug safety findings to the appropriate regulatory authorities at the Food and Drug Administration to further qualify the biomarker’s clinical utility.
SureGene is collaborating with the Medco Research Institute™, LLC to conduct the REST study — Relative Effectiveness of Schizophrenia Therapy — a prospectively designed study (n=2,000) that will explore how SULT4A1 variants are correlated with the safety and efficacy of quetiapine (AstraZeneca’s Seroquel), risperidone (Janssen’s Risperdal), olanzapine (Eli Lilly’s Zyprexa), and ziprasidone (Pfizer’s Geodon). Data collected in the REST study will be used to further qualify the clinical utility of the SULT4A1-1 haplotype biomarker and other biomarkers being developed by SureGene.
About SureGene
SureGene is a healthcare business focusing on personalized medicine for mental health. SureGene’s technology can be used to identify genetic variations in sub populations that correlate with important safety factors, lack of effect as well as improved response to antipsychotic drugs, segment clinical trials to enhance performance of antipsychotic and other drugs relative to active comparators, identify targets for drug repurposing and identify novel targets for drug development. For more information, go to http://www.suregene.net.