Is DNA mapping technology in our future and worth investing in?

Oldman answered 2 years ago …

In one portion of a prior career, I had the opportunity to work with some lab people that were trying to map the Cytochrome p450 variants (ca. 1985 -90). These are microsomal systems used for detoxification of just about everything, and the variants would determine if a person was a slow metabolizer (for example of a therapeutic agent) or a rapid metabolizer ( in which case they might need more of a loading dose and a higher dosage for a given physiologic response). These variations in the population account for a major portion of unwanted side effects and beneficial responses. One would think the major Rx companies would be head over heels in love with this kind of mapping of prospective patient candidates. One would think that managed care would love to know who needs more of an expensive Rx like Plavix, and who needs less. One would think that drug design teams would think that health care professionals would love to have a computerized bio of their patients to know that the patient A is sensitive to hydrochlorthiazide (with a photogenic delayed sensitivity response = peeling skin) while patients B ...G can take this generic, cheap diuretic, even with grapefruit juice and lower their blood pressure.... One would think... However, this early genetic mapping, which could save about 40 % of the total unwanted side effects... and save about 25 % of the volume of prescriptions that are not used, refilled or taken, was deemed too costly. It never took off. Now track ahead to the latest issue of "Wired" which reviews the early startups of snippet screening /$1000.00, with several startups conducting DNA sequence scans for alleles mentioned as having a connection to , e.g., breast or colon cancer, or cardiomyopathies, etc. It turns out that the indicated gene "abnormalities" can be tracked, and more are being discovered. However the process for this entails the use of preprogrammed biochemical "chips" (Affymetrix) that only look for what they have been coded to match. Sort of like a database of computer virus signatures or spyware code or hacker-porno sites. The chips are continuously being updated, and one's DNA can always be rescreened (for an additional fee?) to see if you've got what it takes. All this is based on the Human Genome mapping which shows a whole series of variations, only a few of which directly code for a protein, and only a few single gene variants are responsible for some really baad diseases (e.g. sickle cell anemia and other "thalassemias", or variations in the heme portion of hemoglobin)..For the other 95+% of human diseases, more than a single gene may be involved...and for some reason, there's not an exact correlation to the coding and the actual onset - if ever - of the disorder. So what about the science of this genetic mapping. It's pretty good and getting better, something like the early stock ticker system of punched tape. It certainly will play a role in agricultural work (sterile flies; herbicide resistant grains; high omega 6 eggs, etc.). However, I believe it will be about a generation before one could take the computer-coded genetic data to a primary care setting, and they would know whether drug x or drug y should be administered, let alone what the hell all that data has to do with your twisted ankle. I won't even get into the "moral" hazard of buying a life insurance policy if you suffer from short telomere syndrome (early death from lack of the ability of the chromosomes to replicate); or the increased risk premium a sickness reimbursement plan (what the general population calls a "health insurance" plan) may require if you have a documented collection of hazardous genes. So, from an entirely more scientific and personal perspective, I give kudos to ChaosNantuko, above. Those companies that prepare the technology for the screening are currently High P/E. The screeners ... are start ups who have to do videos to show the clients what all this data and risk analysis may - or may not - mean.