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Targeted therapies provide clinical benefit and improved therapeutic index. They have a growing prominence in patient management and focus in drug development. Their development is fuelled by our deepening knowledge of complex disease phenotypes and the need for improvement in new therapeutic efficacy. Extrapolation of the biological discovery through to new therapy targeting the causal biological variants to drive clinical gain is challenging. Here, we review the impact of germline mutations on targeted therapies. Historically, germline changes have contributed most to our understanding of disease mechanisms, drug metabolism and exposure, the latter of which has enabled safer positioning of therapies, such as clopidogrel and irinotecan. Similarly, prescreening for germline variants can avoid potentially fatal hypersensitivity reactions with abacavir. However, germline mutations continue to emerge as a central player in targeting therapeutics; ivacaftor drives partial restoration of mucus secretion in cystic fibrosis patients harbouring specific mutations, and treatment with olaparib exploits germline mutations in BRCA genes to drive synthetic lethality as an anti-cancer mechanism. Central is definition of the causal link, association or contribution to the biological variance -and that we believe it is drugable for therapeutic gain. The demand for better therapies to treat modern diseases provides the appetite for continued investigation of the biological variance associated with germline mutations, inevitably leading to increased impact on the development of targeted therapeutics. Keywords: germline mutation; targeted therapies; drug development; ADME; tolerated/efficacious drug use
Targeted therapies provide clinical benefit and improved therapeutic index. They have a growing prominence in patient management and focus in drug development. Their development is fuelled by our deepening knowledge of complex disease phenotypes and the need for improvement in new therapeutic efficacy. Extrapolation of the biological discovery through to new therapy targeting the causal biological variants to drive clinical gain is challenging. Here, we review the impact of germline mutations on targeted therapies. Historically, germline changes have contributed most to our understanding of disease mechanisms, drug metabolism and exposure, the latter of which has enabled safer positioning of therapies, such as clopidogrel and irinotecan. Similarly, prescreening for germline variants can avoid potentially fatal hypersensitivity reactions with abacavir. However, germline mutations continue to emerge as a central player in targeting therapeutics; ivacaftor drives partial restoration of mucus secretion in cystic fibrosis patients harbouring specific mutations, and treatment with olaparib exploits germline mutations in BRCA genes to drive synthetic lethality as an anti-cancer mechanism. Central is definition of the causal link, association or contribution to the biological variance -and that we believe it is drugable for therapeutic gain. The demand for better therapies to treat modern diseases provides the appetite for continued investigation of the biological variance associated with germline mutations, inevitably leading to increased impact on the development of targeted therapeutics. Keywords: germline mutation; targeted therapies; drug development; ADME; tolerated/efficacious drug use
In order to keep subscribers up‐to‐date with the latest developments in their field, John Wiley & Sons are providing a current awareness service in each issue of the journal. The bibliography contains newly published material in the field of pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety. Each bibliography is divided into 19 sections: 1 Books, Reviews & Symposia; 2 General; 3 Anti‐infective Agents; 4 Cardiovascular System Agents; 5 CNS Depressive Agents; 6 Non‐steroidal Anti‐inflammatory Agents; 7 CNS Agents; 8 Anti‐neoplastic Agents; 9 Haematological Agents; 10 Neuroregulator‐Blocking Agents; 11 Dermatological Agents; 12 Immunosuppressive Agents; 13 Autonomic Agents; 14 Respiratory System Agents; 15 Neuromuscular Agents; 16 Reproductive System Agents; 17 Gastrointestinal System Agents; 18 Anti‐inflammatory Agents ‐ Steroidal; 19 Teratogens/fetal exposure; 20 Others. Within each section, articles are listed in alphabetical order with respect to author. If, in the preceding period, no publications are located relevant to any one of these headings, that section will be omitted.
Abacavir hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS) is a potentially life-threatening illness occurring in 4-8% of those initiating the drug. Early studies identified a strong association between the MHC class I allele HLA-B*5701 and AHS. These studies suggested that HLA-B*5701 holds promise as a screening test to prevent AHS, but concern arose from HLA-B*5701-negative cases with a clinical diagnosis of AHS, and particularly from early reports of apparently low sensitivities of HLA-B*5701 for AHS in patients of non-White race. However, open screening studies suggested that HLA-B*5701 screening can largely eliminate AHS. Furthermore, skin-patch testing was used in later-generation studies to separate those patients with true immunologically mediated AHS from those with false-positive clinical diagnoses. Currently, high-level evidence suggests that HLA-B*5701 has a negative predictive value of 100% for patch-test-confirmed AHS, which is generalizable across White and Black populations. Current HIV treatment guidelines have been revised to reflect the recommendation that HLA-B*5701 screening be incorporated into routine care for patients who may require abacavir. New laboratory techniques such as PCR and flow cytometric methods, as well as an international quality assurance program, have evolved to ensure the availability of cost-effective screening methods whose consistency and standard can be maintained over time. An elegant body of basic science has evolved, which supports and complements the clinical research in suggesting that AHS is specifically and exquisitely restricted by HLA-B*5701 and mediated by CD8+ lymphocytes. Abrogating factors explaining why 45% of those carrying HLA-B*5701 can tolerate abacavir remain to be defined. The research approach applied to AHS has led to a genetic screening test being successfully implemented globally in primary HIV clinical practice. The abacavir 'example' can be applied to other drugs to facilitate the development and operationalization of genetic tests that may be useful to predict and prevent otherwise unpredictable drug reactions.
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