Myriad’s BRACAnalysis CDx® Test Identifies Patients with Ovarian Cancer Who Would Benefit from Second-Line Maintenance Treatment with Olaparib


SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYGN), a leader in molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine, today announced that its BRACAnalysis CDx®  test accurately identified patients who may benefit from treatment with olaparib.  The BRACAnalysis CDx test was included in the SOLO2 study (NCT01874353) as a diagnostic with olaparib, an oral PARP inhibitor being developed by AstraZeneca (Nasdaq:AZN).

SOLO2 compared maintenance olaparib against placebo in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer.  In this study, patients were tested for germline BRCA (gBRAC+) mutations as determined by Myriad’s BRACAnalysis CDx test. The primary endpoint for SOLO2 was progression-free survival (PFS).  The aim was to determine whether patients carrying gBRAC mutations treated with olaparib as a second-line maintenance therapy experienced longer progression-free survival, compared to those patients receiving placebo.  The results showed that the olaparib-treated patients achieved the primary endpoint of prolonged PFS.

“These outstanding findings represent another meaningful advancement for ovarian cancer patients,” said Johnathan Lancaster, M.D., Ph.D., gynecologic oncologist and chief medical officer of Myriad Genetic Laboratories.  “Importantly, the results demonstrated that BRCA status as determined by BRACAnalysis CDx can identify patients likely to benefit from PARP inhibition therapy.”

The collaboration between Myriad and AstraZeneca on olaparib began in 2007.  In Dec. 2014, Myriad received FDA approval for BRACAnalysis CDx to identify patients with advanced ovarian cancer who are eligible for fourth-line treatment with olaparib.  BRACAnalysis CDx is Myriad’s first FDA-approved companion diagnostic and was the first-ever laboratory developed test reviewed and approved by the FDA.

About BRACAnalysis CDx®
BRACAnalysis CDx is an in vitro diagnostic device intended for the qualitative detection and classification of variants in the protein coding regions and intron/exon boundaries of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes using genomic DNA obtained from whole blood specimens collected in EDTA.  Single nucleotide variants and small insertions and deletions (indels) are identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing.  Large deletions and duplications in BRCA1 and BRCA2 are detected using multiplex PCR.  Results of the test are used as an aid in identifying ovarian cancer patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA variants eligible for treatment with Lynparza™ (olaparib).  This assay is for professional use only and is to be performed only at Myriad Genetic Laboratories, a single laboratory site located at 320 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108.

About Myriad Genetics
Myriad Genetics Inc. is a leading personalized medicine company dedicated to being a trusted advisor transforming patient lives worldwide with pioneering molecular diagnostics.  Myriad discovers and commercializes molecular diagnostic tests that: determine the risk of developing disease, accurately diagnose disease, assess the risk of disease progression, and guide treatment decisions across six major medical specialties where molecular diagnostics can significantly improve patient care and lower healthcare costs.  Myriad is focused on three strategic imperatives:  transitioning and expanding its hereditary cancer testing markets, diversifying its product portfolio through the introduction of new products and increasing the revenue contribution from international markets.  For more information on how Myriad is making a difference, please visit the Company's website: www.myriad.com.

Myriad, the Myriad logo, BART, BRACAnalysis, Colaris, Colaris AP, myPath, myRisk, Myriad myRisk, myRisk Hereditary Cancer, myChoice, myPlan, BRACAnalysis CDx, Tumor BRACAnalysis CDx, myChoice HRD, Vectra, Prolaris and GeneSight are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myriad Genetics, Inc. or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States and foreign countries. MYGN-F, MYGN-G

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements related to the ability of the BRACAnalysis CDx test to identify patients with ovarian cancer who may benefit from treatment with olaparib;  the importance of the BRACAnalysis CDx test for this patient population and the ability to identify patients likely to benefit from PARP inhibition therapy; and the Company's strategic directives under the captions “About BRACAnalysis CDx,” and "About Myriad Genetics."  These "forward-looking statements" are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that sales and profit margins of our molecular diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical and clinical services may decline; risks related to our ability to transition from our existing product portfolio to our new tests, including unexpected costs and delays; risks related to decisions or changes in governmental or private insurers’ reimbursement levels for our tests or our ability to obtain reimbursement for our new tests at comparable levels to our existing tests; risks related to increased competition and the development of new competing tests and services; the risk that we may be unable to develop or achieve commercial success for additional molecular diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical and clinical services in a timely manner, or at all; the risk that we may not successfully develop new markets for our molecular diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical and clinical services, including our ability to successfully generate revenue outside the United States; the risk that licenses to the technology underlying our molecular diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical and clinical services and any future tests and services are terminated or cannot be maintained on satisfactory terms; risks related to delays or other problems with operating our laboratory testing facilities and our healthcare clinic; risks related to public concern over genetic testing in general or our tests in particular; risks related to regulatory requirements or enforcement in the United States and foreign countries and changes in the structure of the healthcare system or healthcare payment systems; risks related to our ability to obtain new corporate collaborations or licenses and acquire new technologies or businesses on satisfactory terms, if at all; risks related to our ability to successfully integrate and derive benefits from any technologies or businesses that we license or acquire; risks related to our projections about our business, results of operations and financial condition; risks related to the potential market opportunity for our products and services; the risk that we or our licensors may be unable to protect or that third parties will infringe the proprietary technologies underlying our tests; the risk of patent-infringement claims or challenges to the validity of our patents or other intellectual property; risks related to changes in intellectual property laws covering our molecular diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical and clinical services and patents or enforcement in the United States and foreign countries, such as the Supreme Court decision in the lawsuit brought against us by the Association for Molecular Pathology et al; risks of new, changing and competitive technologies and regulations in the United States and internationally; and other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as any updates to those risk factors filed from time to time in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K.  All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Myriad undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.


            

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