NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Myriad Genetics today announced a research collaboration for use of the company's homologous recombination deficiency test to identify tumor types that may serve as targets for BioMarin's investigational drug candidate BMN-673.
Myriad's test detects tumors that may be susceptible to DNA-damaging drugs because they no longer can repair double-stranded DNA breaks.
"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 inhibitors, we need a more comprehensive test capable of identifying all patients who may benefit from treatment with PARP inhibitors or DNA damaging agents," Myriad Chief Scientific Officer Jerry Lanchbury said in a statement. "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."
Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Myriad and BioMarin also have an agreement for use of the BRACAnalysis test for BioMarin's pivotal Phase III clinical study of BMN-673 for breast cancer.