Myriad Genetics, Inc., has announced a research collaboration with BioMarin Pharmaceutical that will use Myriad’s novel HRD (Homologous Recombination Deficiency) test to identify tumor types that may be sensitive to BioMarin’s investigational product candidate, BMN-673. The agreement marks the second research collaboration between the partners. In October, BioMarin announced the use Myriad’s BRACAnalysis test in connection with its Phase 3 clinical study of BMN-673 for breast cancer.
Myriad's proprietary HRD test detects when a tumor has lost the ability to repair double-stranded DNA breaks, resulting in increased susceptibility to DNA-damaging drugs. High HRD scores are prevalent in all breast cancer subtypes and most other major cancers. In previously published data, Myriad's HRD test predicted drug response to platinum therapy in triple-negative breast cancer patients.
“The biology of cancer is complicated, and while the analysis of multiple gene targets may identify a subset of patients who will respond to PARP [poly ADP ribose polymerase] inhibitors, we need a more comprehensive test capable of identifying all patients who may benefit from treatment with PARP inhibitors or DNA damaging agents,” says Jerry Lanchbury, PhD, chief scientific officer at Myriad. “While it is impossible to predict all of the genetic causes of DNA repair deficiency, our HRD test solves this problem by measuring the ultimate effect, which presents as a DNA scar.”
“We look forward to partnering with Myriad,” says Len Post, chief scientific officer at BioMarin. “Myriad’s HRD assay has the potential to complement the development of our PARP inhibitor BMN 673 to identify cancer patients who are most likely to benefit from the therapy.” Learn more about companion diagnostics solutions from Myriad.
