Asper Biotech is participating in a new collaboration project PREDICTION-ADR – Personalisation of tREatment In Cardiovascular disease through next generation sequencing in Adverse Drug Reactions. The new European-wide study led by the University of Dundee is set to investigate whether genetic research could be used to predict the side effects of statins and ACE inhibitors.
“Statins and ACE inhibitors are the most effective drugs at preventing cardiovascular disease, but they need to be used better,” said Professor Colin Palmer, from the University of Dundee, who is leading the study.
With the advent of affordable whole genome sequencing, genetic research is now at the point where it can be effectively used to identify `biomarkers’ which signal whether a patient can take the drugs safely or not.
The aim of the trial is to identify reliable biomarkers, which could then be developed into a commercially available clinical test. Partners of the study include the Universities of Liverpool, Utrecht, Uppsala and the private sector firm PGXIS. The study is funded with a €3million grant through the European Union FP7 Health project.