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LabCorp(R) Now Offering UGT1A1 Pharmacogenetic Test for Dosing Colorectal Cancer Therapy
Monday February 13, 8:19 am ET

Rights to Test for UGT1A1 Mutations Associated with Serious Adverse Reaction to Irinotecan Hydrochloride Sublicensed from Mayo Foundation


BURLINGTON, N.C., Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings (LabCorp®) (NYSE: LH - News) today announced the availability of a test for genetic variants in the UGT1A1 gene associated with excessive toxicity in individuals treated with the late-stage colorectal cancer drug irinotecan hydrochloride (Camptosar®). The rights to perform the test have been sublicensed to LabCorp by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
In the US, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women, affecting approximately 145,000 people each year. As many as 50 percent of those cases are metastatic and candidates for irinotecan-containing therapy. Polymorphisms in the UGT1A1 gene can affect an individual's ability to efficiently metabolize irinotecan, and are known to increase that individual's risk for severe toxicity from the drug. By identifying the genetic variants in the gene, physicians can better understand the potential risk of an adverse reaction and customize the dosage of irinotecan to optimize its benefits while minimizing potentially serious side effects.

"Physicians try to be aggressive in treating metastatic colorectal cancer with powerful drugs like irinotecan, yet the therapeutic level can be very close to the toxic level in those individuals with genetic variants in UGT1A1," said Myla P. Lai-Goldman, M.D., Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer and Medical Director of LabCorp. "Pharmacogenetic tests like UGT1A1 are a critical tool for helping physicians set drug dosage levels appropriate for each of their patients, and LabCorp is pleased to add this test to our growing arsenal of leading-edge diagnostic tests."