AIG’s DNA-based Test Offers Better Prescriptions

Hyderabad: AIG Hospitals, in collaboration with GenepoweRx, has launched India’s first affordable pharmacogenomics test — a major step toward personalised medicine that tailors prescriptions to an individual’s genetic profile.

Priced at Rs.5,000 compared to around Rs.80,000 globally, the test identifies how a person’s genes influence their response to commonly used drugs for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, psychiatric, neurological, and gastrointestinal disorders. It helps doctors choose the safest and most effective medicine and dosage, reducing side effects and drug resistance.

“Doctors usually prescribe medicines as per standard protocols, but the correct dosage depends on how each person metabolizes the drug,” said Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy, chairman of AIG Hospitals. “One in three patients may be taking medicines unsuitable for their genetic type. Our aim is to make precision-based, affordable treatment the new standard.”

Dr Reddy explained that nearly 20 per cent of Indians have poor-functioning variants of the CYP2C19 enzyme, which affects the metabolism of several major drugs. “This is especially relevant for diseases like tuberculosis, where early knowledge of genetic response can prevent drug resistance,” he said.

The test requires only 2 ml of blood and uses Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology to decode the patient’s DNA. Results are delivered within 12 days, including a detailed clinical report and customised prescription guidance. As genetic make-up remains unchanged throughout life, the test can be taken even by healthy individuals.

AIG is also in discussions with the Centre to explore integrating genetic testing into public health programmes. “If implemented on a national scale, the cost could drop to Rs.2,000–Rs.3,000, with each citizen having a lifelong digital genomic record,” Dr Reddy said.

Dr Hima Challa, clinical genomics expert trained at Harvard Medical School, noted that in the United States, the FDA mandates genetic biomarker linkage before prescribing several drugs. “Studies show that many commonly used drugs are less effective in the Indian population, making localized genomic testing critical,” she explained.

The test, developed using GenepoweRx’s SIGMA-ML AI platform, is integrated into AIG’s electronic medical records, giving physicians real-time genomic data for clinical decisions. “This collaboration brings genomic science into everyday medical practice, making prescriptions safer, more precise and more effective,” said Dr Kalyan Uppaluri, managing director, GenepoweRx.