The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way the world works and business has become anything but usual. But one thing remains clear, employee mental health is still one of the most important issues facing workplaces today. As we navigate the future of the workplace, we have the responsibility to prioritize workplace mental health and help each and every employee reach their full potential. We were already facing a mental health crisis prior to COVID-19, and the pandemic has simply amplified it.
Having the right tools available to your employees, such as our MatchMyMeds drug compatibility test will help to get them on the right medication the first time and have them back at work quicker.
Pharmacogenomics tests your genetic response to medications, helping you find the right drug that will work best for you based on your DNA avoiding many months of unnecessary trial and error. We help you get on the right medication the first time. 
From a simple cheek swab, the MatchMyMeds Drug Compatibility Test looks at your DNA to determine whether certain commonly prescribed drugs will work, and at what dose. This information enables doctors to make the best prescribing choices for you, thereby minimizing the likelihood of unwanted side effects and maximizing the likelihood of a successful outcome.
DNALabs is here to service our client’s needs. Despite the pandemic and ongoing lockdowns, we never stopped for a single day, continuing to deliver results to our clients and their patients without delays.
On behalf of everyone at DNALabs, we want to wish you and your families Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.
Moni Lustig, Chief Executive Officer
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Pharmacogenomics: A new tool to help doctors make informed prescribing decisions
Pharmacogenomics is the branch of science that looks at how an individual’s genetics affect their likely response to therapeutic drugs… think of it as a DNA-based “drug-compatibility” test. Briefly (and over-simplifying), the way it works is that if a patient metabolizes a drug too quickly, the drug flushes through the patient’s system and is cleared out of their body before it has a chance to accumulate to therapeutic levels, and it is therefore ineffective. Conversely, if a patient metabolizes a drug too slowly, it can build up in their system to toxic levels which can put them at risk of unwanted side effects. The genes that encode enzymes that metabolize drugs are very well-characterized, and the impact that certain genetic variants have on drug safety and efficacy has been well-established. In fact, for many drugs, there are evidence-based, and peer-reviewed clinical practice guidelines for prescribers that provide drug and dosing recommendations given a patient’s genotype.
DNALabs Canada is excited to announce that we have recently updated our pharmacogenomics test, MatchMyMeds. The MatchMyMeds test report includes very easy-to-read recommendations on which drugs are most likely to be effective, which ones to avoid, and which ones require a dosage adjustment so that treatment is tailored to the individual. The test is comprehensive and routinely updated - currently covers 78 drug compounds found in hundreds of pharmaceutical products across various therapeutic categories including anxiety, depression, pain, cardiovascular, psychiatry and many others (for the complete list of drugs covered, click HERE).
Perhaps the biggest impact area for MatchMyMeds is for prescribing anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications. These are notoriously difficult to get right, and most practitioners utilize a one-size-fits-all approach and expect a lengthy trial-and-error period where the patient tries different medications until they find one that works, which can take months or even years. Another big impact area for pharmacogenomics is for dosing of cardiovascular drugs. For example, clopidogrel is a blood thinner prescribed to prevent heart attacks and strokes - amazingly, 30-45% of the population cannot metabolize this drug properly yet it is still very widely prescribed in Canada using the one-size-fits-all model - pharmacogenomic testing for clopidogrel is recommended as standard-of-care in the United States. Pain drugs (including opioids like codeine) is another big impact area. The latest update to MatchMyMeds added additional pain meds like ibuprofen, and a number of triptans commonly used as migraine medications. We’ve also recently added dexamethasone, a steroid used for the treatment of symptoms of COVID-19, as well as a number of psychiatric, gastroenterology and oncology drugs. As prescribing guidelines become available for new medications, we routinely update our panel to ensure that we continue to provide a very comprehensive report, with the most up-to-date, clinically validated recommendations available.
Dr. Aaron Goldman, Chief Science Officer
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Not all heads are susceptible to head trauma
The connection between the APOE gene and traumatic brain injury
Dr. Robyn Murphy, ND
Scienfic Advisor at DNA Labs Canada
In our aging population, it is no surprise that Alzheimer’s disease is expected to increase in prevalence by 300% by 2050. Of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, up to 65% are carriers of the APOE E4 allele, the number one gene variant associated with development of the neurodegenerative disease. The E4 variant alters cholesterol homeostasis, increasing risk for high LDL cholesterol, and impacts the repair processes after head injury.
Studies show that professional boxers who carry the APOE E4 allele are at an increased risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and at a 10-fold increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s. This association begs to question whether all individuals should be tested before considering a career with a high probability of head trauma.
Head trauma is only one environmental trigger associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s. Chronic inflammation, iron overload, diabetes, hypertension, oxidative stress and high homocysteine are just some of the modifiable factors that may contribute to the pathophysiology of the disease. Each of these factors are predisposed by other genes, which are modifiable through lifestyle and nutritional changes.
- Risk for iron overload and oxidative stress – HFE
- Risk for oxidative stress – GSTT1, GSTM1 null
- Risk for insulin resistance – TCF7L2
- Vascular and endothelial function – 9p21, MTHFR, NOS3
- Risk for vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and choline deficiency – VDR, GC, CYP2R1, BCMO, FUT2, TCN2, PEMP
- Risk of gluten sensitivity - HLA
- Sensitivity to stress – COMT, MAO
Rather than determinant, the effects of APOE are modifiable by addressing these ancillary pathways, empowering significant change in the course of one’s life.
References
Villapol S. Neuropathology of Traumatic Brain Injury and Its Role in the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease. Amyloid Diseases. Published online December 6, 2018. doi:10.5772/intechopen.81945
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“The Road we travelled in 2020 at DNA Labs”
Michael S. Kerzner, Chief Strategist
Using a hockey metaphor, ‘You have to keep your eye not on where the puck has been, but where the puck is going!’. So true with the team at DNA Labs. This year 2020 has tested the resolve of our world as we have mired through a very difficult period during the Covid-19 Pandemic. We have had more than our share of anxious moments, but now look forward to receiving the vaccine in 2021.
I believe that our team is very much defined as being incurable optimist. In our business you have to be. You have to be prepared to look to the future, understanding that as entrepreneurs we remember that every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. What this pandemic has taught us is to work harder by enhancing the breadth and depth of our tests.
We doubled down on our research in general, including the addition of 20 new drugs to our MatchMyMeds drug compatibility test. These drugs added to our report are impressive and cover a wide range of commonly prescribed medicines for: pain & migraine, anxiety, depression, cancer, urology to name a few. We are also delighted that our LoveMyHealth PRO Lifestyle Genetic Test has received many enhancements to the report as well, including our women’s health section, the analysis of the APOE gene, a detailed breakdown of our ability to remove toxins from our body using glutathione, and analysis for risk of cardiovascular disease.
We want to inspire our stakeholders, medical professionals and consumers to have the best diagnostic tests and information available, always at a reasonable price. In the end, just like we have always said ‘people have a right to know more about themselves’. We really believe this, and this foundation of our company is why we exist today.
At our Company we are proud where our rubber meets the road. Actually I think it fair to say that no matter where we find ourselves in 2020, we have travelled far together, by finding new ways to communicate, show concern and compassion, and share new ideas and opportunities. Hopefully in 2021 – it will be a year of genuine togetherness and healing, our Company will stay true to our standards of delivering differentiated best in class products and make our lives better and safer, simply by knowing more about ourselves.
Now more than ever and perhaps as an outcome from the 2020 Pandemic, we realize a little bit more that our health is beyond precious and irreplaceable, and for me at least, I will never take it for granted again!
Be safe and stay healthy!
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MatchMyMeds™
MatchMyMeds™ by DNALabs is focused on delivering the best of pharmacogenomics science to the everyday healthcare consumer. This DNA testing tool is your first step to personalized medicine. It informs the right dose and it’s just right for you. It’s precision medicine with your name on it.
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LoveMyHealth™
LoveMyHealth™ by DNALabs is designed to provide insights into the key factors of your health and well-being based on your genomic profile. It empowers you to improve your health and well-being by providing actionable nutrition, exercise and lifestyle recommendations personalized to your unique genetic makeup.
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TestMyTolerance™
Ready for Canada’s legalization of cannabis for both medical and recreational use, DNALabs Canada has developed TestMyTolerance™, a cannabis sensitivity test. Informed and responsible use should include your body’s unique response to the various psychoactive and non-psychoactive compounds found in cannabis.
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Minimize Medical Trial And Error With DNALabs
Our DNA holds critical and unique information about us, our traits, and how we interact with medications. DNALabs testing kits are designed to help healthcare practitioners as well as individuals to personalize the treatment options that are best suited for their unique DNA. In this interview for DNAWeekly, DNALabs Chief Science Officer Aaron Goldman explains how pharmacogenetics can save lives and why it should be incorporated into our healthcare systems.
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