Today, depression is mostly treated with antidepressants, however the selection of the antidepressant and its dose still occurs by trial and error. This process can result in medication failure or unwanted side effects that may stop the patient continuing the medication. In fact, recent studies have showed that only 40% of patients with major depression achieves recovery after first line antidepressant treatment.
Incorporating blood-brain barrier genetics, CNSDose is a unique genetic test that predicts the most suitable medication and dose for patients, saving time and the frustration of trial and error prescribing. CNSDose is particularly relevant for medications used to treat mental health illnesses, such as antidepressants.
CNSDose is a proprietary, genetic-based medication selection and dosing algorithm for psychotropic drugs and was developed in response to the need of clinicians specialising in psychiatry and general medicine.
The CNSDose test analyses 18 genes that include those that impacts a drugs transportation to the brain via the blood-brain barrier, making CNSDose unique. Other genes included in the analysis are those involved with both phase I and phase II drug metabolism and various drug receptors and transporters.
The CNSDose report provides both medication dosing suggestions, together with medication avoidance alerts that are derived from both the CPIC and Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group recommendations.
CNSDose provides a specific focus on medications used in the treatment of various mental health illnesses, including antidepressants, anxiolytics, anti-ADHD and antipsychotics. The CNSDose report also provides medication avoidance alerts for many other medications commonly used in cardiology, oncology, pain management and general practice, as many people suffering a mental illness may also have additional chronic conditions that requires treatment.
Evidence-based
CNSDose had the first positive clinical trial for antidepressant treatment. Evidence indicates CNSDose-guided treatment can more than double the likelihood of recovery when compared to conventional prescribing, as CNSDose provides both medication avoidance alerts and dose predictions.