Genemarkers: A Small Michigan Company with the Smallest of Plans

In a Small West Michigan City, There’s a Company with the Smallest of Plans

BY J. MICHAEL GETZ, CEO, GENEMARKERS

Home to large international corporations like Pfizer and Zoetis, as well as a new medical school, Kalamazoo is known for advancing science – and that’s just what they are doing at Kalamazoo-based Genemarkers, a CLIA-certified lab focusing on clinical trial support, discovery, and translational research.

“We now have the ability to identify minute genetic markers that contribute to medication efficacy,” explains neuroscientist Anna Langerveld, PhD, founder of Genemarkers.

Pharmacogenomic (PGX) testing is the key to making the dream of personalized medicine a reality. A PGX test analyzes mutations in genes associated with drug metabolism, transport, and targeting. Health care professionals can use the results to make informed decisions about the most effective (and safe) medication and dosage for an individual patient based on their unique physiology.

“The testing allows us to predict how an individual will interact with a specific drug based on the presence or absence of markers in DNA,” Dr. Langerveld continues.

PGX testing can improve medication efficacy and compliance while reducing adverse drug effects and trial and error in prescribing. Not surprisingly, health care systems and payers are interested in PGX testing as a means of improving population health outcomes and controlling costs.

As a result, Genemarkers is experiencing its greatest amount of growth in over a decade. In 2019, the company hired J. Michael Getz as Chief Executive Officer. Formerly with Detroit Oxygen and Medical Equipment Company, Getz has over 30 years of experience in health care supply management and joint ventures. Dr. Langerveld continues as President and Chief Science Officer overseeing the development of PGX testing for psychiatry, cardiac care, and pain management—specifically the use of opioids.

Michigan had the eighth largest number of overdose deaths in 2018 and the 14th highest overdose death rate in the country.

Research suggests that 50 percent or more of addiction may be related to genetics.

“That made us wonder if our predictive approach to medication management could do the same thing for opioids and identify the genetic markers linked to addiction,” says Langerveld. “Not everyone who takes an opioid becomes addicted to it; many patients use opioids effectively for pain and have no trouble when it’s time to stop, while others struggle to find effective pain relief and others still become addicted to this powerful class of drugs… that’s a clear sign of a genetic component linked to an addiction response.”

In 2017, Genemarkers, Integrated Services of Kalamazoo (then known as Kalamazoo Community Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services), and Ferris State University conducted a pilot study to explore the genetic susceptibility of addiction. Resulting data supported the ongoing development of 2 distinct Genemarkers’ genetic addiction tests.

If adopted, these screening tools could proactively prevent addiction by informing patients and caregivers of a patient’s risk of developing an opioid addiction before opioids are prescribed. This would give providers an opportunity to counsel patients on opioid use and prescribe opioid alternatives when necessary.

The study has the potential to encourage acceptance of addiction as a genetic disease, which could be one of the most powerful forces in the fight against addiction. The result: more people seeking treatment and succeeding in recovery by reducing the stigma surrounding addiction.

Along with further PGX testing for co-occurring disorders, Genemarkers is proving that the smallest details can make the biggest difference.

GENEMARKERSLLC.COM