Is biology the key to treating addictive behavior? An Inland treatment center is using genetics-based supplements developed by a San Diego firm instead of traditional behavior modification to treat patients suffering from alcohol and drug dependencies.

Salugen Inc. has established Haveos, a program that bases health and wellness on the individual's genetic makeup.

Haveos, the Latin word for craving, is in the pilot stage and is offered at A Better Tomorrow, a drug and alcohol treatment center in Murrieta.

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Photo By Dan Elliott

Sandee Richardson, left, a staff counselor, and Jerrod Menz demonstrate the procedure for gaining a DNA sample for a treatment program at A Better Tomorrow.

A Better Tomorrow treats more than 400 clients a year.

"Everything we do is evidence-based treatment. If there's a product, a service out there that has good data, we want to offer it to our clients," said Jerrod Menz, president and co-founder. "They showed us the data and it had really positive results."

A physician collects a DNA sample from the client by way of a cheek swab, which is then extracted and analyzed at a Salugen lab.

The lab analyzes it and designs a gene-based treatment for the client.

The client is given supplements based on the DNA profile.

"They know what particular genes will be involved and what those genes are associated with," said Brian Meshkin, president and chief executive officer of Salugen. "Using Haveos, those cravings go down."

By understanding the patienrt's genetic information, and profiling, Salugen can create a neutraceutical supplement to address the factors that are causing a chemical imbalance, he said.

The supplements used in the Haveos treatment over time help the client to quit the addictive behavior.

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Photo By Dan Elliott

An employee demonstrates how DNA samples are collected for a new drug treatment program at A Better Tomorrow in Murrieta.

Ingredients in the supplements are generally recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration, Meshkin said.

By taking a biological instead of a behavioral approach to genetic predispositions, therapists will be able to treat a greater number of patients, Meshkin said.

Most treatment centers have a 50% relapse rate, Meshkin said. "We think we can help addiction treatment centers by offering a piece of the solution they did not know."

Salugen hopes to learn which types of patients and insurances are most receptive to the program, Meshkin said .

The company is still sorting out the pricing, reimbursement and other commercial implications, he said.

The Haveos program costs $8,900. A Better Tomorrow's 28-day rehab program costs $13,200 and the 90-day program costs $24,000.

The Haveos treatment is the culmination of more than 30 years of research, Meshkin said.

Haveos gained ground following research by Kenneth Blum, who discovered the so-called gene for alcoholism in 1990. Blum, a retired pharmacology professor from the University of Texas Health Science Center, has published more than 300 articles relating to toxicology, nutrition and neuropsycho- pharmacogenetics. Salugen has an exclusive license for Blum's research and patents, and he is listed as the company's chief scientific officer.

A third of the general population is genetically predisposed to addictive behavior, primarily due to a dysfunction involving their dopamine receptors.

A Better Tomorrow in Murrieta is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.