/bio-clinical-databases-pharmacogenomics

name: bio-clinical-databases-pharmacogenomics
description: Query PharmGKB and CPIC for drug-gene interactions, pharmacogenomic annotations, and dosing guidelines. Use when predicting drug response from genetic variants or implementing clinical pharmacogenomics.
tool_type: python
primary_tool: requests

Version Compatibility

Reference examples tested with: pandas 2.2+

Before using code patterns, verify installed versions match. If versions differ:

• Python: `pip show <package>` then `help(module.function)` to check signatures

If code throws ImportError, AttributeError, or TypeError, introspect the installed package and adapt the example to match the actual API rather than retrying.

Pharmacogenomics

PharmGKB REST API

**Goal:** Retrieve drug-gene clinical annotations and dosing guidelines from PharmGKB.

**Approach:** Query PharmGKB REST endpoints by gene symbol or drug name and parse JSON annotation records.

**"Find pharmacogenomic annotations for this gene"** → Query PharmGKB for clinical annotations linking genes to drug response.

• Python: `requests.get()` against PharmGKB API (requests)

Query Drug-Gene Relationships

import requests

def get_pharmgkb_annotations(gene_symbol):
    '''Get PharmGKB clinical annotations for a gene'''
    url = f'https://api.pharmgkb.org/v1/data/clinicalAnnotation'
    params = {'view': 'base', 'location.genes.symbol': gene_symbol}
    response = requests.get(url, params=params)
    return response.json()['data']

annotations = get_pharmgkb_annotations('CYP2D6')
for ann in annotations[:5]:
    print(f"{ann['location']['genes'][0]['symbol']}: {ann['chemicals'][0]['name']}")

Query by Drug

def get_drug_annotations(drug_name):
    '''Get pharmacogenomic annotations for a drug'''
    url = 'https://api.pharmgkb.org/v1/data/clinicalAnnotation'
    params = {'view': 'base', 'chemicals.name': drug_name}
    response = requests.get(url, params=params)
    return response.json()['data']

warfarin_annotations = get_drug_annotations('warfarin')

Get Dosing Guidelines

def get_cpic_guidelines(gene_symbol):
    '''Get CPIC dosing guidelines for a gene'''
    url = 'https://api.pharmgkb.org/v1/data/guideline'
    params = {'view': 'base', 'relatedGenes.symbol': gene_symbol, 'source': 'CPIC'}
    response = requests.get(url, params=params)
    return response.json()['data']

guidelines = get_cpic_guidelines('CYP2C19')
for g in guidelines:
    print(f"{g['name']}: {g['chemicals'][0]['name']}")

Star Allele Interpretation

**Goal:** Determine metabolizer phenotype from CYP star allele diplotypes using CPIC activity scores.

**Approach:** Sum per-allele activity scores and classify into PM/IM/NM/UM categories based on CPIC thresholds.

CYP2D6 Metabolizer Status

# CYP2D6 activity scores for common alleles
# Based on CPIC guidelines
CYP2D6_ACTIVITY = {
    '*1': 1.0,   # Normal function
    '*2': 1.0,   # Normal function
    '*3': 0.0,   # No function
    '*4': 0.0,   # No function
    '*5': 0.0,   # Gene deletion
    '*6': 0.0,   # No function
    '*9': 0.5,   # Decreased function
    '*10': 0.25, # Decreased function (common in East Asian)
    '*17': 0.5,  # Decreased function
    '*41': 0.5,  # Decreased function
}

def calculate_activity_score(allele1, allele2):
    '''Calculate CYP2D6 activity score from diplotype'''
    score1 = CYP2D6_ACTIVITY.get(allele1, 1.0)
    score2 = CYP2D6_ACTIVITY.get(allele2, 1.0)
    return score1 + score2

def get_metabolizer_status(activity_score):
    '''Convert activity score to metabolizer phenotype

    CPIC thresholds:
    - PM: 0
    - IM: 0 < score <= 1.25
    - NM: 1.25 < score <= 2.25
    - UM: > 2.25 (gene duplications)
    '''
    if activity_score == 0:
        return 'Poor Metabolizer (PM)'
    elif activity_score <= 1.25:
        return 'Intermediate Metabolizer (IM)'
    elif activity_score <= 2.25:
        return 'Normal Metabolizer (NM)'
    else:
        return 'Ultrarapid Metabolizer (UM)'

score = calculate_activity_score('*1', '*4')
status = get_metabolizer_status(score)
print(f'Activity score: {score}, Status: {status}')

CYP2C19 Interpretation

CYP2C19_ACTIVITY = {
    '*1': 1.0,   # Normal function
    '*2': 0.0,   # No function (most common loss-of-function)
    '*3': 0.0,   # No function
    '*17': 1.5,  # Increased function
}

def cyp2c19_phenotype(allele1, allele2):
    '''Determine CYP2C19 metabolizer status'''
    score = CYP2C19_ACTIVITY.get(allele1, 1.0) + CYP2C19_ACTIVITY.get(allele2, 1.0)
    if score == 0:
        return 'Poor Metabolizer'
    elif score < 1.5:
        return 'Intermediate Metabolizer'
    elif score <= 2.0:
        return 'Normal Metabolizer'
    elif score <= 2.5:
        return 'Rapid Metabolizer'
    else:
        return 'Ultrarapid Metabolizer'

Drug Interaction Lookup

**Goal:** Check whether a specific drug-gene-variant combination has a known pharmacogenomic interaction.

**Approach:** Query PharmGKB variant annotation endpoint filtered by drug and gene, then match to the target variant.

def check_pgx_interaction(drug, gene, variant):
    '''Check for pharmacogenomic drug-gene-variant interaction'''
    url = 'https://api.pharmgkb.org/v1/data/variantAnnotation'
    params = {
        'chemicals.name': drug,
        'location.genes.symbol': gene
    }
    response = requests.get(url, params=params)
    annotations = response.json().get('data', [])

    for ann in annotations:
        if variant in str(ann.get('variant', {}).get('name', '')):
            return {
                'drug': drug,
                'gene': gene,
                'variant': variant,
                'phenotype': ann.get('phenotypes', []),
                'evidence': ann.get('evidenceLevel')
            }
    return None

Common PGx Gene-Drug Pairs

| Gene | Drugs | Clinical Impact | |------|-------|-----------------| | CYP2D6 | Codeine, tamoxifen, ondansetron | Efficacy, t