A genetic variant may hinder the effectiveness of interferon-β (IFNβ) in some patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a genome-wide association study reports.
Researchers found an association between rs9828519, an intronic variant in SLC9A9, and patients with relapsing forms of MS who do not respond to IFNβ treatment. This discovery was then validated in a meta-analysis of 3 independent cohorts.
The study authors suggest the genetic marker can be used as a successful pharmacogenetic screen, creating a more personalized approach to MS treatment.
Citation: Esposito F, Sorosina M, Ottoboni L, et al. A pharmacogenetic study implicates SLC9a9 in multiple sclerosis disease activity. Ann Neurol. 2015. doi:10.1002/ana.24429.