Interleukin Genetics aims to be the world leader in understanding the genetics of inflammation, one of the body's most important defense mechanisms. Our scientists and clinicians study how common variations in several genes, especially three (known as IL-1a, IL-1b, and IL-1RN) affect an individual's response to the injuries caused by chronic diseases or disabilities such as coronary artery disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Our other major research effort will be to understand how variations in these genes affect an individual's response to therapy, a field known as pharmacogenetics. In 2002-2003 we will focus our pharmacogenetic efforts on therapies for rheumatoid arthritis.
Interleukin Genetics intends to be the first “Personalized Medicine” company. Our core mission is to develop genetic tests to warn people about increased risk for disease and to develop preventive and therapeutic options to avoid those diseases. We will use genetic information to help persons stay healthy from birth to a vigorous old age.
The company has the product PST®, a "DNA test" that assesses risk for periodontal disease. In non-smokers the biggest risk factor for periodontitis is genetic. The results from this cheek-swab test can help your dentist decide whether you need special preventive care to avoid this disorder.
The company, working closely with scientists at the University of Sheffield in England, is searching for genes that make proteins that substantially influence the impact of IL-1 on the body's Inflammatory Response. In 2000 we discovered the first such genes, and in 2001 filed our first patent covering their role as drug targets, e.g. as entities that could become the focus of a major research effort to develop new medicines.
Interleukin Genetics believes that its study of the role of inflammation in Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) can be the basis for a decision to greatly enlarge the population of individuals who are understood to benefit from long term use of an already widely prescribed group of cholesterol lowering drugs called "statins" to reduce their risk of heart attacks. Over the last few years cardiologists have come to realize that the development of coronary artery disease in individuals may be strongly influenced by how their body responds to the chronic injury of a high cholesterol diet. In effect inflammation plays an important role in the development of CAD. Currently, physicians do not prescribe statins for persons with moderately elevated levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad cholesterol"). However, we have performed studies that strongly suggest that persons who have moderately elevated LDL AND one of the common (carried by about 1 in 3 people) variants of an IL-1 gene are at significantly increased risk for heart disease and therefore would benefit from statin therapy. More than 10 million adult Americans have both these risk factors.
We are proud to be engaged in a major research agreement with Kaiser Permanente to understand the degree to which the risk for heart attacks faced by persons with diabetes is influenced by their IL-1 genotype. We expect to complete this study in the fall of 2002.
| Contact Details: |
| 135 Beaver Street |
| Waltham |
| MA |
| 02452 |
| United States of America |
| Tel: | 781 398 0700 |
| Fax: | 781 398 0720 |
| Email: | quixtar.personalized.health@quixtar.com |
| WWW: | www.ilgenetics.com/
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Recent Publications by Interleukin Genetics: |  |
Bringing light to the heat: "inflammation and periodontal diseases: a reappraisal".
Peripheral blood leukocytes, isolated from the buffy coats of greater than... | 5th August, 2008
| Interleukin Genetics, Waltham, MA, USA.
| J Periodontol. 2008 Aug;79(8):1313.
DOI Direct Link |
Disclosing conflicts of interest in biomedical research.
OBJECTIVE: Although observational studies have shown that genotype may... | 7th June, 2008
| Interleukin Genetics,
| J Periodontol. 2007 Aug;78(8):1472-5.
DOI Direct Link |
IL1B gene promoter haplotype pairs predict clinical levels of interleukin-1beta and C-reactive protein.
Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) activates inflammatory mediator cascades and... | 30th April, 2008
| Interleukin Genetics Inc, 135 Beaver Street, Waltham, MA, 02452, USA.
| Hum Genet. 2008 May;123(4):387-98. Epub 2008 Mar 28.
DOI Direct Link |
Ethical and legal issues in nutritional genomics.
Advances in the ability to study how common variations in genes affect the... | 20th February, 2008
| Interleukin Genetics
| J Am Diet Assoc. 2008 Jan;108(1):36-40.
DOI Direct Link |
Interleukin-1 genotype-selective inhibition of inflammatory mediators by a botanical: a nutrigenetics proof of concept.
OBJECTIVE: Although observational studies have shown that genotype may... | 2nd February, 2008
| Interleukin Genetics,
| Nutrition. 2007 Nov-Dec;23(11-12):844-52. Epub 2007 Sep 20.
DOI Direct Link |
→View more Interleukin Genetics research publications. |
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