Myriad Genetics Unveils Five Research Partnerships for MRD Testing in Breast Cancer

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 08, 2024 – Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN), a leader in genetic testing and precision medicine, has announced a series of research collaborations aimed at exploring the use of molecular residual disease (MRD) testing in breast cancer using Myriad’s Precise® MRD test.

The research partnerships include several notable studies:

1. HR-positive Inflammatory Breast Cancer Study: Led by Dr. Bora Lim at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, this study focuses on determining if the level of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can predict the response magnitude to pembrolizumab and hormonal therapy in patients who have not achieved pathological complete response by the time of surgery.

2. Nodal Involvement Correlation Study: Under the leadership of Dr. Anna Weiss at The University of Rochester Medical Center, this research aims to evaluate whether ctDNA levels correlate with nodal involvement in newly diagnosed HR-positive breast cancer patients. The goal is to understand how this correspondence might assist in making surgical decisions.

3. MONITOR-breast Study: This multicenter, prospective study involves 650 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer across all subtypes. The study aims to determine the association of ctDNA levels with both neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy. It will assess the prognostic potential of ctDNA and its ability to detect recurrence earlier than standard-of-care imaging.

4. JBCRG-C11 (CREA) Study: Directed by Dr. Yoichi Naito at the National Cancer Center Hospital East in Japan, this multicenter, prospective study will evaluate the maintenance of complete response with trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in HER2-positive advanced or metastatic breast cancer patients. The study will also investigate if ctDNA can guide therapy optimally.

5. Community Oncology Settings Study: In collaboration with Aptitude Health, this study is designed to assess ctDNA levels in high-risk patients at diagnosis, during neoadjuvant treatment, and post-surgery in community oncology settings.

Dale Muzzey, Chief Scientific Officer at Myriad Genetics, highlighted the challenge of MRD testing in breast cancer due to typically low levels of ctDNA in the blood. He emphasized that Myriad’s Precise MRD test is particularly suited to this challenge as it monitors up to 1,000 tumor-specific variants through whole-genome sequencing. Muzzey stated, “The research efforts we’re undertaking with leading organizations and investigators are an important step in advancing the clinical application of next-generation MRD testing to the treatment and monitoring of breast cancer.”

Myriad is dedicated to further developing its Precise MRD test to meet the needs of cancer patients, academic partners, and biopharma companies. The company has previously announced other MRD collaborations, including a study on metastatic breast cancer with researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a prospective pan-cancer study led by researchers at the National Cancer Center Hospital East in Japan.

About Myriad’s Precise MRD Test

Myriad’s Precise MRD test is a tumor-informed, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) based test that tracks hundreds to thousands of tumor-specific variants. This enables exceptional sensitivity and quantification of ctDNA in the blood of cancer patients. The test can monitor ctDNA levels throughout clinical care, starting from diagnosis and continuing through treatment and surveillance. It is available for use in research studies conducted jointly by Myriad and academic or pharmaceutical investigators.

About Myriad Genetics

Myriad Genetics is a premier company in genetic testing and precision medicine, focused on improving health and well-being. The company develops and offers genetic tests that help assess disease risk, progression, and guide treatment decisions across various medical specialties where genetic insights can significantly enhance patient care and reduce healthcare costs.

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