Laboratory Corporation of America is teaming with a New Jersey company in a program that could lead to advances in personalized medicine based on genomics.
LabCorp and Medco Health Solutions said Monday that they would jointly explore using the drug tamoxifen and genotyping, or basing prescriptions on an individual’s gene test results.
Tamoxifen is used to combat breast cancer, denying certain tumors of estrogen that is needed for growth.
According to the companies, some 10 percent of women using tamoxifen do not receive full benefits of the drug due to their genes.
“These new tests can help ensure patients are getting the right medication at the right dosage, while also assisting to avoid adverse drug events," said Medco Chief Medical Officer Robert Epstein said. "This agreement with LabCorp is part of Medco’s strategy to partner with established leaders in the area of personalized medicine to bring the most advanced approaches to pharmacy care to our clients and their members."
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
