Pharmacy professor publishes breast cancer research on drug and gene interaction

March 31, 2016 | Pharmacy |

The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology recently accepted and published a research manuscript by Dr. Landry Kamdem, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Harding University, and his team.

In this research, titled “Impact of UGT2B17 Gene Deletion on the Pharmacokinetics of 17-hydroexemestane in Healthy Volunteers,” Kamdem studied how a drug prescribed for breast cancer patients reacted in people with a particular gene, the UGT2B17 gene.

After undergoing treatment to eradicate the hormone-positive breast cancer, postmenopausal patients will take one of three aromatase inhibitors, which prevents the production of estrogen, to prevent the cancer from returning. Kamdem and his team examined the aromatase inhibitor called Exemestane and how it reacted with women who possess the UGBT217 gene. He has also done pharmacogenetic research on the other two aromatase inhibitors to find how they react in patients with specific genes, research that no one else has ever done in the world.

“Drugs have specific genes with which they interact,” he said. “We want to see if the drugs are benefiting the patient or if they’re toxic. We want to improve efficacy, reduce toxicity, and ultimately reduce health care costs for the patient.”

Kamdem designed the research study in 2010 and began working shortly after receiving the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology’s Young Investigator Award in 2011 and a grant. An additional phase of the research was just approved where Kamdem and his team will survey 1,400 cancer patients about their adherence to medication. Kamdem hopes to continue conducting similar studies as he finds new genes.

“Now that the research is published, I feel blessed and overjoyed for all the contributors and women who participated in this study because it is my strong belief that this research will pave the way for individualized breast cancer therapy.”