KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Genomind®, the leading mental health company bringing precision medicine into mainstream mental health treatment, and Albertsons Companies, one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, are expanding their partnership to offer patients genetic testing at more locations. Specially trained pharmacists in all ACME pharmacies in Pennsylvania and select Albertsons pharmacies in Idaho can now offer Genomind Professional PGx Express™ – the most advanced and comprehensive genetic testing service to guide mental health medication management. Company pharmacists will also have access to G-DIG™, Genomind’s proprietary software system with updated information on how drugs may interact with patient genotypes as well as with other drugs.
Genomind and Albertsons Companies announced the initial partnership in May 2018, which included 28 pharmacies across the country. This expanded partnership now includes 59 locations nationwide.
“After a successful rollout of our partnership last year, we are very pleased to offer Genomind’s services to more of our patients,” said Janis Levit, Director of Pharmacy, ACME Markets. “By expanding this service to additional pharmacies, we’re aiming to help more patients, and their providers, better manage their medications and live happier, healthier lives.”
One in five Americans struggle with a mental health condition, which places a significant burden on patients and many aspects of the healthcare system.i With pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing, Genomind Professional PGx Express – available by prescription only – identifies patient-specific genetic markers that can better inform mental health treatment decisions. The test results are bundled with a suite of services that enable access to care, improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs – all designed to foster a collaboration of care between the patient, prescriber, and pharmacist.
“Our expanded partnership with Albertsons Companies fully engages a new ally for patients in accessing mental health resources: the pharmacists,” said Shawn Patrick O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer at Genomind. “Pharmacists serve the front lines of medication management, and this joint effort enables a coordinated team of clinicians, pharmacists, and pharmacogenomics experts to quickly and thoroughly address patient needs. Albertsons Companies has an ongoing commitment to pharmacy innovation, and we are thrilled to grow this partnership so that more patients have access to these mental health tools.”
Pharmacists who have observed a pattern of unsuccessful experiences with prescribed mental health medications can provide the patient with free educational materials on integrating Genomind Professional PGx Express into their treatment plans. With the patient’s permission, the pharmacist can coordinate with the patient’s healthcare provider to order the test and help administer the non-invasive cheek swab in a specially designated area of the ACME pharmacy.
The pharmacist will then send the sample to Genomind’s lab. Within three days of receiving it – the fastest turnaround time in the industry – Genomind will provide the pharmacist and ordering clinician with a results report for variants from a 15- or 24-gene panel that can impact mental health treatment.
In addition to the personalized PGx report, Genomind Professional PGx Express offers:
- Consultations to the pharmacists and clinicians with Genomind’s PGx experts to review the report results;
- An Rx MetaType Card, which is compatible with electronic medical records (EMRs) that provides the individual patient’s genotype and the expected impact (phenotype) for certain genetic variants related to drug metabolism. A patient’s ‘metatype’ can have a critical impact on the effects of drugs on that individual; and
- Access for patients and providers to NeuroFlow, a progressive collaborative care digital platform of behavioral health smartphone apps to help the care team and patients better track compliance with treatment plans and enable remote monitoring and measurement-based care.
Under the agreement, company pharmacists will also have access to G-DIG, the Genomind Drug Interaction Guide. G-DIG is a patient-specific software tool designed to assist clinicians and pharmacists in checking gene-drug and drug-drug interactions when prescribing medications. The system enables providers to see how certain drugs might interact with the patient’s individual pharmacokinetic profile (gene-drug interactions), as well as to evaluate how medications that the patient is already taking or that are being considered may interact with each other (drug-drug interactions). G-DIG also provides genetic interaction information for lifestyle choices, including how smoking or drinking caffeine can affect the patient’s specific drug metabolism.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Depression and Anxiety, patients using Genomind’s test, as compared to similar patients who did not use PGx-guided treatment, demonstrated an estimated $1,948 cost reduction in the first six months, 40% fewer emergency room visits for any reason, and 58% fewer hospitalizations for any cause.ii Additional studies have shown that Genomind-guided treatment resulted in measurable improvements in 87% of patients.iii
About Genomind® Professional PGx Express™ (PGx Express)
Genomind Professional PGx Express is the most advanced and comprehensive mental health pharmacogenomic service available, bundling the results of a patient’s individual genetic profile with a set of services to support the patient and clinician in improving treatment outcomes. With a genetic profile obtained via a safe and painless cheek swab, Genomind offers two versions of its report. The full report analyzes potential variants on 24 pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic genes selected for inclusion based on guidelines from expert consortia and review of hundreds of peer-reviewed studies. Results include genetic information relevant for the treatment of conditions including depression, anxiety, autism, schizophrenia, chronic pain, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse. In addition, Genomind offers a CORE Anxiety and Depression Report focused on a subset panel of the 15 genes most relevant to anxiety and depression.
PGx testing is gaining acceptance by a growing number of health insurers. Recently, a major health insurance plan began coverage of genetic tests, including Genomind Professional PGx Express, that help physicians identify the antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs most likely to benefit certain patients. The health plan’s policy specifies that the use of PGx multi-gene panels to guide therapy decisions is proven and medically necessary for antidepressants and antipsychotics medication for certain patients.
In addition to the genetic report, Professional PGx Express offers:
- Access for healthcare providers to the Genomind Drug Interaction Guide (G-DIG), which provides information on gene-drug and drug-drug interactions;
- Industry-leading service with 99.9% laboratory accuracy and results within three days;
- Complimentary consultations with Genomind’s expert medical affairs team of MDs, PhDs, and pharmacists to review patient-specific technical and scientific insights;
- An Rx MetaType Card that provides the patient’s genotype and the expected impact (phenotype) for certain genetic variants related to drug metabolism, which significantly impact the effects of drugs on that individual; and
- Access to NeuroFlow, a free, secure mobile app that provides continuity of care outside of the provider’s office.
About Genomind
Genomind is the leading mental health care company, delivering the genetic testing tools that empower clinicians to make more informed treatment decisions and create better outcomes for patients with mental illnesses. As the scientific leader in genetic testing, Genomind’s flagship offering is Genomind Professional PGx Express – the most advanced and comprehensive mental health genetic service available. Supported by a world-class genetics lab and unique consultative approach, Genomind is advancing a new paradigm of personalized medicine in mental health care. Learn more at www.genomind.com.
About ACME Markets
ACME Markets began in 1891 when two friends, Samuel Robinson and Robert Crawford, opened a small neighborhood grocery store in South Philadelphia, emphasizing quality products, low prices, and friendly service. 128 years later, ACME remains dedicated to providing a high-quality grocery experience that our customers have come to expect. Today, ACME operates 164 stores, including 102 Sav-On Pharmacies at select locations, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland, employing over 17,000 associates. The company and its associates remain committed to the communities they serve. For more information, visit www.acmemarkets.com.
ACME Markets is a division of Albertsons Companies. Locally great and nationally strong, Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States.
i NIMH Report: Mental Health by the Numbers
ii Perlis R et al. Pharmacogenetic testing among patients with mood and anxiety disorders is associated with decreased utilization and cost: A propensity‐score matched study. Depression and Anxiety, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22742
iii BrennanFX, GardnerKR, LombardJ, PerlisRH, FavaM, HarrisHW, ScottR. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2015 Apr 16;17(2). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26445691
