DNA Drug Sensitivity Testing™ for

Strattera (atomoxetine HCl)

Has Strattera caused you to have side effects or adverse drug reactions?

Do you have a long history of reactions to medications?

Is your physician thinking of prescribing Strattera?

Are you concerned about drug safety?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider ordering a Prescription DNA Drug Sensitivity Testing™ Panel from Genelex.

Strattera is a non-stimulant medication known as a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor used for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD and ADHD). Although the FDA has approved the drug, an FDA warning was issued in December of 2004 about the "potential for severe liver injury". The FDA has since requested that the insert be updated to include genetic information (click here to learn more about the review process).

Strattera is one of many medications processed through pathways in your liver. These pathways vary in their ability to process drugs based on your unique genetic make-up. According to the package insert for Strattera (atomoxetine HCl) "it is eliminated primarily by oxidative metabolism through the Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) enzymatic pathway... A fraction of the population (about 7% of Caucasians and 2% of African-Americans) are poor metabolizers (PMs) of CYP2D6 metabolized drugs. These individuals have reduced activity in this pathway resulting in 10-fold higher AUCs, 5-fold higher peak plasma concentrations, and slower elimination {plasma half-life of about 24 hours (compared to 5 hours} of atomoxetine compared with people with normal activity {Normal Metabolizers (EMs)}. Adverse events...were either twice as frequent or statistically significantly more frequent in PM patients compared with EM patients."

Genelex offers DNA Drug Sensitivity Testing™ that can measure your genetic ability to process many drugs including Strattera. Your physician can utilize this information to select medications that are least likely to result in an adverse drug reaction. Currently, adverse drug reactions are one of the leading causes of death in our country and one of the major reasons for hospitalization.

Genelex currently offers CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, NAT2 and CYP1A2 screens that can help your physician predict your particular response to Strattera and many other prescription, OTC (over-the-counter) and herbal medicines. Approximately half of all Americans have a variation in at least one of these pathways that affects their ability to process certain drugs.

The Testing Process

The process is simple. You can order testing directly if you have a physician prescription or your healthcare provider can request testing for you. We send a cheek swab collection kit with directions by mail. Use the return mailer to submit samples and receive results in ten days or less. Faster testing is available for an additional charge. Call a DNA testing consultant at (800) 523-3080 for details and to order.