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GeneSight Psychotropic test improves treatment response, remission in major depression
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Myriad Genetics Inc. recently announced results indicating the GeneSight Psychotropic test improved treatment response and remission rates among patients with major depressive disorder.
“The robustness of the results are attributed to the unique algorithm developed by our scientists that appropriately weights and combines multiple pharmacogenetic factors impacting mental health medication efficacy,” Bryan Dechairo, PhD, executive vice president of clinical development at Myriad Genetics, said in a press release. “Improving remission and response rates are key treatment goals of clinicians because they directly improve patients’ lives and reduce health care costs. These endpoints also align with payer goals, and we look forward to having those discussions in the coming months.”
To assess effects of the GeneSight Psychotropic test on psychiatric treatment response, researchers conducted a 24-week, double-blind, multicenter randomized controlled trial among 1,200 patients with moderate or severe MDD. Study participants were randomly assigned to receive the GeneSight test or treatment as usual. Assessments occurred at baseline, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks. Unblinding occurred at week 12, when participants receiving treatment as usual were permitted to switch to GeneSight-guided therapy for the remaining 12 weeks.
At 8 weeks, treatment response rates (P = .01) and remission rates (P < .01) improved in participants who received GeneSight.
Participants who received GeneSight also exhibited greater improvement in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17 (HAMD-17) scores at 8 weeks, compared with the treatment-as-usual group.
Improvement in remission, response and symptoms continued throughout the 24-week study period.
“From a clinician’s perspective, better but not well is not good enough and significant improvements in response and remission are always the most-desired endpoints,” John Greden, MD, founding chair of the National Network of Depression Centers, said in a press release. “We are eager to discuss complete results from this study as well as potential future applications of pharmacogenomics at the upcoming APA annual meeting in May 2018.”