Myriad Genetics Announces Enhancements to the GeneSight Test to Personalize Mental Health Medication Treatment Decisions Based on Smoking Status

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYGN), a leader in genetic testing and precision medicine, announced enhancements to the GeneSight Psychotropic test, a pharmacogenomic test for mental health medications. The GeneSight report will now include information on how a patient's smoking status may impact their body's metabolism of certain medications.

Many factors may influence medication outcomes in addition to genetics. Smoking is one of those factors as it can increase the activity of CYP1A2 – a gene involved in the metabolism of several mental health medications – in patients who have the highly inducible CYP1A2 variant.

For roughly 91% of patients with the CYP1A2 variant, the categorization and information provided for certain medications can be affected by smoking status.¹ Smoking on the GeneSight report is defined as the daily inhalation of burning plant material (such as cigarettes and marijuana). Vaping and e-cigarettes are not included.

Approximately a third of the medications on the GeneSight report have CYP1A2 involvement, which means they have the potential to be categorized differently based on a patient’s smoking status. These 23 medications include several antidepressants, anxiolytics and hypnotics, and antipsychotics.

“Taking smoking status into consideration helps ensure the test provides an even more complete picture of patients’ potential outcomes with certain medications,” said Holly Johnson, Ph.D., director of Medical Affairs, Myriad Genetics. “This update was made based on a comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed literature and our continued commitment to provide clinicians with genetic insights from the GeneSight test to help inform treatment decisions.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence of smoking cigarettes in patients who have depression or mental health symptoms is higher than the general population. In fact, the American Lung Association states that “lifetime smoking rates are higher in patients who are diagnosed with major depression disorder (59%).” Daily or near daily usage of marijuana is two times higher in individuals with depression compared to those without it.² Nearly 80% of marijuana usage is through smoking.³