It has long been known that the body’s response to various drugs, and thus the effectiveness of treatment, depends on the metabolic characteristics of each individual. But the study of genetic factors that affect chemical transformations in the body began only in the 20th century.
The paradigm of “treating the patient, not the disease” resulted in the concept of “personalized medicine”. The essence of personalized medicine is the individualization of drug therapy. The response to a drug, the optimal class of drug, its dose and mode of administration are determined, at least in part, by genetic determinants. Pharmacogenetics seeks to identify genes and their variants that determine the adequacy of pharmacotherapy and reduce the risk of side effects.
For a modern doctor, pharmacogenetics is a convenient and affordable tool to increase the effectiveness of evidence-based therapy for many diseases and, at the same time, reduce the likelihood of side effects. For a patient, pharmacogenetics means confidence that the drug prescribed by a doctor will act reliably and predictably, and will show maximum therapeutic effectiveness.
What needs to be done for this? Investigate the genetic information of a particular person regarding the genes that affect drug transport.
CSD LAB has long established itself as a progressive and innovative laboratory that implements modern diagnostic methods that should be useful to doctors for prescribing effective therapy. This spring, we created the Development and Innovation Department, which aims to develop diagnostic capabilities and medical science for their further implementation in the everyday life of the Ukrainian medical community.
From now on, the first pharmacogenetics services have been introduced in the list of CSD LAB laboratory diagnostics.
What pharmacogenetics tools are available in Ukraine today?
Currently, CSD LAB offers two tests that will allow individualizing the treatment of many diseases.
1. CYP2C9 (analysis of polymorphism of alleles *2, *3) and VKORC1 (analysis of G1639A polymorphism), determination of warfarin sensitivity, PCR, blood \ N
https://www.csdlab.ua/analyzes/farmakohenetka/cyp2c19-analiz-polimorfizmu-aleley-2-3-ta-vkorc1-analiz-polimorfizmu-g1639a
The test determines sensitivity to warfarin by detecting CYP2C9*2, CYP2C9*3 and VKORC1 G1639A mutations in human genomic DNA by real-time PCR.
The most common complication of warfarin therapy is bleeding, the risk of which can be reduced by 35%, and taking into account other factors (patient weight, prescription of other medications, etc.) – by 50%.
Warfarin is used for the treatment and prevention of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, for the secondary prevention of myocardial infarction and prevention of thromboembolic complications (stroke or systemic embolism) after myocardial infarction, for the prevention of thromboembolic complications in patients with atrial fibrillation, heart disease or prosthetic heart valves, prevention of dynamic cerebrovascular disorders and stroke, and prevention of postoperative thrombosis.
2. CYP2C19 (analysis of allele polymorphism *2, *3, *17) PCR, blood \ N
https://www.csdlab.ua/analyzes/farmakohenetka/cyp2c19-analiz-polimorfizmu-aleley-2-3-17-plr-krov-n
This genetic test will allow you to determine the variations of the CYP2C19 gene (CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*3 CYP2C19*17).
CYP2C19 is a clinically important enzyme involved in the biotransformation of a number of antidepressants, anticoagulants, and antimycotic drugs. For example, clopidogrel is a very effective antiplatelet drug whose action is based on irreversible inhibition of the platelet receptor P2RY12. However, in some patients, the therapeutic effect of the drug does not manifest itself, which is why it is necessary to change the drug, losing time in the patient’s treatment.
Why does this happen? The answer is simple: clopidogrel is a prodrug, which is activated by the cytochrome P450 complex, mainly CYP2C19. With a certain gene variant, this does not happen and the effectiveness of the drug is significantly reduced. In this case, you should choose another antiplatelet drug.
How to work with this?
The main goal of pharmacogenetics is to use the patient’s individual genetic information to inform and prescribe the most effective type and dose of drugs. Currently, targeted diagnostics and treatment of a patient can be determined according to the results of a study of his or her genetic profile, which makes pharmacotherapy for patients as effective, safe and affordable as possible.
However, personalized medicine is a relatively new area of medicine in general, and the new approach is to test patients for possible reactions to new drugs and to develop a treatment based on the test results.
In order to help Ukrainian doctors better understand pharmacogenetics, CSD LAB plans to hold a course of lectures on pharmacogenetics this fall.
Enterprises of the group of companies “ATB” according to the results of work in the first half of 2023 paid taxes and fees, including customs payments and the unified social contribution (USV), for a total amount of 12.01 billion UAH, the press service of the company reported to the agency “Interfax-Ukraine”.
According to the press release, this is 22.7% more than in the same period last year, when UAH 9.79 billion of such contributions were made.
It is specified that UAH 8.09 billion was transferred to the state budget of the country in January-June this year (against UAH 6.65 billion in the first half of 2022), UAH 2.8 billion was paid to local budgets, and UAH 1.12 billion was paid to trust funds.
ATB Corporation is an association of large Ukrainian enterprises operating in such business spheres as retail trade, asset management, production and sale of food products, provision of services in the sphere of sports and recreation. More than 70 thousand people work at the enterprises of the corporation.
As of June 1, 2023, the corporation’s retail network has 1,188 stores compared to 1,316 stores in January-2022. According to the results of the last year in the conditions of a full-scale war against Ukraine unleashed by Russia, ATB Corporation paid UAH 20.4 billion of taxes and fees to budgets of different levels – almost UAH 1 billion more than in 2021.
Benchmark crude oil prices are moderately higher on Tuesday morning due to ongoing concerns over fuel shortages in the global market.
The price of September Brent futures on London’s ICE Futures exchange is at $82.95 a barrel by 8:05 a.m. Q2, up 21 cents (0.25%) from the previous session’s close. On Monday, these contracts rose in price by $1.67 (2.2%) – to $82.74 per barrel, ending trading at the maximum mark since April 19.
Quotes of futures for WTI crude oil for September at the electronic trading of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) by the specified time rose by 24 cents (0.3%) and amounted to $78.98 per barrel. They rose $1.67 (2.2%) to $78.74 a barrel at the end of the previous session, hitting their highest since April 24.
“The unquenchable thirst for summer oil created a snowball effect that led to a multi-week rally,” said Manish Raj, managing director of Velandera Energy Partners. – Supply cuts from Saudi Arabia and Russia have led to increased demand for U.S. WTI crude from Asian buyers.”
According to him, the current situation was influenced by several factors, including growing demand in the U.S. during the summer, strong economic recovery in China and positive outlook for demand in India, where supply remains tight.
Record high demand in the near term will lead to a significant shortage of oil in the market and increase prices for the Brent grade to $86 per barrel by the end of the year, analysts at Goldman Sachs Group believe.
Meanwhile, data from oilfield services company Baker Hughes showed that last week the number of active drilling rigs in the U.S. decreased by 7 units to 530.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, pharma company Novo Nordisk has provided Ukraine with humanitarian and charitable assistance in various ways for more than 900 million UAH.
According to its press release, in addition, throughout 2019-2023, more than 100 Ukrainian hospitals have received equipment for continuous blood glucose measurement totaling UAH 8 million from the company.
“In the first months of the war, to avoid shortages of insulin and other vital drugs, we transferred to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine a six-month supply of insulins of different types and more than a third of the annual need for blood clotting factors. Together we were able to provide insulins to more than 50 thousand patients in different parts of Ukraine”, – the press release quotes the words of the General Director of “Novo Nordisk Ukraine” Vladislav Moroz.
It is specified that since the beginning of the full-scale war humanitarian aid from Novo Nordisk with insulins and other medicines has been delivered to hot spots in the temporarily occupied territories in cooperation with volunteers and charitable organizations, in particular, BF Zhiznelyub, BF Patients of Ukraine, BF Save Mariupol.
In addition, Novo Nordisk joined an international initiative to rebuild Mykolayiv and Mykolayiv region affected by the war.
“Novo Nordisk has allocated $5 million, which will be used to restore critical infrastructure in Nikolaev, in particular water and power plants, and humanitarian aid to the residents of the city and region. A separate budget is provided for the restoration of medical infrastructure and additional supplies of medical equipment needed by hospitals in Mykolaiv and the region,” Moroz said.
Novo Nordisk is a leading global medical company founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. The company specializes in overcoming diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as obesity, rare blood clotting and endocrine disorders. The company employs about 55,000 people in 80 countries and sells its products in about 170 countries.
Agro-industrial holding Astarta, the largest sugar producer in the country, exported 833 thousand tons of products to 40 countries during the 2022-2023 marketing year (MY, September-August) under conditions of limited logistical opportunities.
“Despite the constant blocking of Russian maritime trade routes and other export restrictions, we managed to deliver to foreign markets and 563 thousand tons of grains and oilseeds, including 177 thousand tons of wheat and 386 thousand tons of corn. Italy, Spain, Indonesia and Kenya became the main importers of wheat, and China, Portugal and Spain – corn,” – reported the press service of the holding in Facebook.
According to the company’s data, the main consumers of soybean products during this period were EU countries, where Astarta supplied 48 thousand tons of soybean oil and 133 thousand tons of soybean meal, taking the second and first place among exporters of these products to the EU, respectively.
In addition, the holding also supplied 52 thousand tons of sugar to European markets, which also allowed Astarta to maintain its leading position among Ukrainian exporters.
“Due to our properly built reputation, transparency and consistency of business, we were ready for integration into European markets with both our main products and niche products. Incidentally, the niche ones, including organic flax and mustard, were one of the discoveries last season. It was their presence in our product portfolio that allowed us to work with both major and regional players in the European Union,” said Astarta’s commercial director Vyacheslav Chuk, whose words are quoted in the report.
He added that Astarta plans to deepen trade relations with key European partners and develop a product line under its own brand.
“Astarta” is a vertically integrated agro-industrial holding operating in eight regions of Ukraine. It includes six sugar factories, agricultural farms with a land bank of 220 thousand hectares and dairy farms with 22 thousand cattle, an oil extraction plant in Globino (Poltava region), seven elevators and a biogas complex.
In the first half of 2023, Astarta’s revenue from sales of key products increased by 64.8% year-on-year to UAH 10.72 bln. The main contribution was made by sales of sugar – UAH 3.27 bln, which increased by 75.5%, corn – UAH 2.66 bln (+53.2%) and soybean meal – UAH 1.96 bln (+84.5%).
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine due to favorable weather conditions has improved the forecast of harvest in 2023 by about 4%, Minister Mykola Solskiy said on the air of the national telethon.
“We have adjusted our forecast of this year’s harvest compared to last year’s … by 10% down. But the weather is really this year, according to the state as of today, ufu-tufu-tufu, so that it would continue to be so, it is good enough, let’s say, cautiously. And we have already adjusted this forecast for the better: we think that the drop will be by +/- 6 percent compared to last year. This is preliminary, because there are still a few months ahead,” said the Minister.
He specified that the initial forecast was based on the change in the structure of sown areas caused by logistical problems in favor of more expensive crops, but with lower yields (for example, soybeans or sunflowers instead of corn), as well as less investment in land.
Solsky specified that canola, barley and wheat have been harvested for several weeks now.
“Rapeseed (will be) like last year, maybe even a little more. Barley – less, because less was planted, by 15-20 percent. And there will be less wheat because less was planted. We hope to compensate with spring crops in the fall, but let’s not guess,” – said the Minister.
As reported, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotskyy at the end of June predicted grain harvest this year at the level of about 46 million tons compared to 53.1 million tons in the previous season.
At the same time, Ukrhydrometeocenter in early July gave a more optimistic estimate – about 49.6 million tons.
