Pharmacogenomics: Medicine Tailored to Your DNA

What is Pharmacogenomics?

Pharmacogenomics studies how genes affect a person's response to drugs. This field combines pharmacology (the science of drugs) and genomics (the study of genes and their functions).

How Genes Affect Drug Response

Your genes influence:

• Drug metabolism: How quickly your body breaks down a medication
• Drug transport: How effectively your body moves drugs to their target
• Drug targets: How sensitive your body is to a medication's effects

Real-World Examples

Warfarin: This common blood thinner requires precise dosing. Genetic variants in CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes can mean someone needs 10x the standard dose — or 10x less.

Clopidogrel: This heart medication requires activation by the CYP2C19 enzyme. Up to 30% of South Asians have reduced CYP2C19 activity, meaning the drug may not work effectively.

Codeine: A common pain medication that is converted to morphine by CYP2D6. Ultra-rapid metabolizers can experience dangerous morphine levels from standard doses.

The Promise for India

With our diverse genetic makeup — India has thousands of endogamous groups, each with distinct genetic profiles — pharmacogenomics has extraordinary potential here. Standard dosing guidelines, largely developed on Western populations, may be systematically wrong for many Indians.

What Allelic Is Building

Our AGIR engine includes drug-gene interaction mapping, helping identify when standard medication protocols may need adjustment based on your genetic profile. This is one of our most impactful clinical applications.