Researchers publish Plavix genotype analysis

Researchers from the McMaster University and colleagues published a genotype analysis of two Phase III trials showing that Plavix clopidogrel reduced the rate of cardiovascular events vs. placebo, irrespective of cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) loss-of-function alleles. Researchers looked at data from 5,059 genotyped subjects with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the Phase III CURE trial, and from 1,156 genotyped subjects with atrial fibrillation (AF) in the Phase III ACTIVE A trial. Data were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The researchers noted that one possible explanation for their findings, which were in contrast to findings from previous studies, was the difference in the rates of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stenting. In the CURE trial, only 14.5% of patients underwent PCI with placement of a stent compared to over 70% in previous studies. The researchers also asserted that previous studies did not include a randomized control group and thus were unable to exclude potential pleiotropic effects of loss-of-function CYP2C19 alleles. ...