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Amyloid beta 42 is a neurotoxic peptide that is the primary constituent of senile plaques that accumulate in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. It is thought to be the key initiator of Alzheimer's disease since this peptide has the greatest tendency to aggregate, cause neuronal damage and initiate amyloid deposits in the brain. Most genetic mutations that cause early-onset Alzheimer's disease appear to do so by increasing production of Abeta42.
"This patent broadens our intellectual property base around selective amyloid beta lowering agents, further protecting our investment in the commercialization of our investigational drug Flurizan™ and expanding our rights to other Aβ42 lowering compounds," said Peter Meldrum, President and Chief Executive Officer of Myriad Genetics, Inc.
Flurizan is the first in a new class of drug candidates known as selective amyloid beta 42 lowering agents (SALAs). Flurizan lowered levels of Abeta42 in cellular assays and animal models. Myriad believes that Flurizan is the first well-tolerated drug that inhibits the production of Abeta42 to be evaluated in a clinical trial for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Flurizan is currently in a Phase 3 clinical trial in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease. The trial protocol is double-blind, placebo-controlled and patients are randomized into one of two arms, 800 mg twice daily or placebo. The trial will study the safety and effectiveness of Flurizan in a large population of approximately 1600 patients from approximately 150 investigative sites across the United States.
An animated video of the mechanism of action of selective amyloid beta lowering agents (SALAs) is available on the Company's Web site at: www.myriad.com/sala
Myriad Genetics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel healthcare products. The Company develops and markets predictive medicine products, and is developing and intends to market therapeutic products. Myriad's news and other information are available on the Company's Web site at www.myriad.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include: The Company's belief that Flurizan is the first well-tolerated drug that inhibits the production of Abeta42; the role of Abeta42 in Alzheimer's disease; the ability of Flurizan to inhibit the production of Abeta42, and its ability to treat patients with Alzheimer's disease. These forward looking statements are based on management's current expectation and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth or implied by forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, uncertainties as to the extent of future government regulation of Myriad Genetics' business; uncertainties as to whether Myriad Genetics and its collaborators will be successful in developing, and obtaining regulatory approval for, and commercial acceptance of, therapeutic compounds; the risk that markets will not exist for therapeutic compounds that Myriad Genetics develops or if such markets exist, that Myriad Genetics will not be able to sell compounds, which it develops, at acceptable prices; and the risk that the Company will not be able to sustain revenue growth for its predictive medicine business and products. These and other risks are identified in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2004. All information in this press release is as of June 29, 2005, and Myriad undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.