Applications of Immunopharmacogenomics: Predicting, Preventing, and Understanding Immune-Mediated Adverse Drug Reactions

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a significant health care burden. Immune-mediated adverse drug reactions (IM-ADRs) are responsible for one-fifth of ADRs but contribute a disproportionately high amount of that burden due to their severity. Variation in human leukocyte antigen ( HLA) genes has emerged as a potential preprescription screening strategy for the prevention of previously unpredictable IM-ADRs. Immunopharmacogenomics combines the disciplines of immunogenomics and pharmacogenomics and focuses on the effects of immune-specific variation on drug disposition and IM-ADRs. In this review, we present the latest evidence for HLA associations with IM-ADRs, ongoing research into biological mechanisms of IM-ADRs, and the translation of clinical actionable biomarkers for IM-ADRs, with a focus on T cell–mediated ADRs.