Pharmacogenomics
The right drug. The right dose.
For you, specifically.
Your genes determine how your body processes medication. A drug that works well for most may be ineffective, underdosed, or dangerous for you. PGx testing removes that uncertainty for patients and the clinicians who treat them.
What Is Pharmacogenomics
Your genes affect every medication you take
Pharmacogenomics (PGx) combines genetics with pharmacology to understand how your DNA influences your response to drugs. Genetic variants – particularly in the cytochrome P450 enzyme family – control how quickly you metabolise medication. Prescribe without this information and you’re working with an incomplete picture.
Drug Metabolism
Variants in genes like CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9 determine how your system processes a drug, affecting how much reaches your bloodstream and for how long.
Drug-gene interactions
When your genetic profile makes a standard dose too high or too low, the result is ineffective treatment, or serious adverse effects. PGx predicts these interactions before they happen.
Drug-drug interactions
When multiple medications compete for the same metabolic pathway, the interaction can amplify or suppress each drug's effect. Understanding your genetic profile makes polypharmacy safer.
Population diversity matters
Many PGx tools were built on European genome data. Our PMDA Plus array was designed specifically for diverse ancestries, including South African and broader African populations.
80+
clinically relevant genes analysed per patient
10–14
working days to results from sample receipt
921,000
genetic variants (SNPs) interrogated per test
80+
clinically relevant genes analysed per patient
921,000
genetic variants (SNPs) interrogated per test
10–14
working days to results from sample receipt
Why it matters
What PGx testing means in practice
Whether you’re a patient managing your health or a clinician managing complex regimens, PGx testing changes what’s possible.
For Patients
Take medication with confidence
Your body isn’t average. The standard dose printed on a packet was calculated for a population, not for your specific genetic makeup. PGx testing gives you and your doctor a precise, personalised picture.
- Understand why a medication may not have worked for you
- Reduce the risk of adverse drug reactions before they occur
- Help your doctor choose the most effective treatment first time
- One test. Results that are relevant for life.
For Clinicians
Prescribe with precision
PGx removes guesswork from prescribing. With a clear picture of how your patient metabolises medication, you can optimise dosing, avoid unsafe combinations, and justify clinical decisions with genetic evidence.
- Identify poor and ultra-rapid metabolisers before prescribing
- Manage polypharmacy risk with drug-drug interaction analysis
- CPIC and ClinPGX-aligned reporting for clinical confidence
- Live portal lets you update the regimen as treatment evolves
The science behind the test
Not everyone metabolises medication the same way
Genetic variants classify patients into four metaboliser phenotypes. The same drug, at the same dose, can produce very different outcomes depending on the specific drug-gene interaction. For example, in the case where a gene product breaks down the active ingredient of a medication:
Standard doses accumulate to toxic levels. Risk of serious adverse effects, even at normal prescriptions.
Drug clears more slowly than average. May require dose adjustment to avoid side effects over time.
Drug is processed within expected range. Standard dosing appropriate for this phenotype.
Medication breaks down before it can act. Standard doses produce little to no therapeutic effect.
Our pharmacogenomics tests
Two levels of PGx insight
Both tests use the same PMDA Plus microarray platform and deliver the same depth of genetic analysis. The difference is in what happens after the report is issued.
Flagship Test
PGx Live
Lifelong genetic medication management
One test. Lifelong clinical utility. PGx Live delivers a comprehensive pharmacogenomic report and goes further with access to the InformedDNA clinical portal. Clinicians can add or remove medications, recalculate risk, and verify new prescriptions against the patient’s genetic profile at any point in the future. As the regimen changes, so does the analysis. The only test of its kind available in South Africa.
- Results in 10–14 working days
- Blood (EDTA tube)
- 80+ genes, 921k SNPs
- Comprehensive report
- Live portal - lifelong access
Standard Test
PGx Standard
Comprehensive one-time pharmacogenomic report
A complete pharmacogenomic workup delivered as a detailed static report. Covers 60+ genes, drug-gene and drug-drug interaction analysis for the patient’s current regimen, and a clinician-ready summary with risk-rated medication breakdown and specific alternatives. Supported by direct access to the Genetix genetics team for follow-up queries. Ideal when a single, in-depth snapshot is the clinical objective.
- Results in 10–14 working days
- Blood (EDTA tube)
- 80+ genes, 921k SNPs
- Once-off report
- Static report - full + summary
Why Genetix
Built for the South African clinical context
Precision medicine tools designed for other populations often miss the mark here. We built our PGx offering around the realities of SA clinical practice and the genetic diversity of our patients.
African ancestry coverage
The PMDA Plus array was designed for diverse and underrepresented populations. It doesn’t assume a European genetic baseline.
Dynamic, not static
PGx Live’s clinical portal moves with the patient. As their regimen changes, the risk analysis updates, not at the next test.
Processed in South Africa
All samples are processed locally. Faster turnaround, no international shipping delays, and no cross-border data concerns.
Expert genetics support included
Every test includes direct access to the Genetix genetics team. You’re never left to interpret results without support.
How we support you
Testing is just the beginning
Genetic results are only useful if they’re understood and acted on. We provide the infrastructure to make PGx clinically practical, for individual patients and for practices integrating it at scale.
PGx testing
Comprehensive pharmacogenomic analysis across 80+ genes, with full and summary reports designed for clinical use, not just filing.
Clinical support
Our genetics team is available to help clinicians interpret results and apply findings to individual patient regimens directly, not via a call centre.
Education and training
We work with healthcare providers to build PGx literacy and help practices integrate pharmacogenomics into their clinical workflow.
Not sure which test is right for your patient?
Our genetics team works directly with clinicians to identify the most appropriate test for each clinical scenario. Refer a patient or explore our clinician programme.