Monitoring azathioprine and methotrexate efficacy: thioguanine nucleotides and methotrexate polyglutamates

Location: Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust Award: £337,000
Start date: 01/02/2008

Project intentions: Funding supports the introduction of a drug monitoring service for the immunosuppressant drugs azathioprine and methotrexate, immunosuppressants used extensively in rheumatology, dermatology, gastroenterology and renal medicine. The service will seek to optimise drug dosage and compliance with medicine prescriptions in order to maximise the benefits of the drugs and minimise side effects. The proposed service is demand-led and will benefit patients nationally, enabling therapy to be optimized, minimizing morbidity and the use of expensive biological therapies or surgery.