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SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:MYGN) announced today that a presentation entitled, "Validation of a panel of cell-cycle progression genes for improved risk-stratification in a contemporary radical prostatectomy cohort," was presented on Thursday, February, 2, 2012 at the 2012 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium. The study concluded that the Prolaris score, which analyzes the expression level of 46 cell cycle progression genes, demonstrated significant and unique prognostic ability in a contemporary cohort of men who had undergone radical prostatectomy, and accurately predicted their elevated risk for prostate cancer recurrence.
"Better risk assessment tools are needed to predict which men are more likely to have recurrence of their disease, even after undergoing aggressive, local treatment such as a radical prostatectomy," said Peter R. Carroll, M.D., M.P.H., Professor and Chair, Urology, University of California, San Francisco. "These findings demonstrate the ability of the Prolaris test either alone, or in conjunction with pathologic features, to predict which men may have an aggressive form of prostate cancer and are at an increased risk for recurrence. I believe this test will help men and healthcare providers make better-informed decisions regarding additional treatment after surgery."
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and Myriad, analyzed the Prolaris CCP score of 413 men's cancers from a contemporary cohort who had undergone radical prostatectomy. They found that the Prolaris test effectively stratified men by risk of biochemical recurrence. Specifically, 100% of patients in the study with low-risk Prolaris scores did not experience disease recurrence after five years. Prostate cancer did recur in 50% of the patients in the study with high-risk Prolaris scores. Importantly, the Prolaris score was found to enhance clinical parameters currently used in risk assessment and offered independent prognostic information beyond PSA, Gleason grade, and pathologic staging. The authors concluded that the findings may help men and healthcare providers make better informed decisions regarding treatment after radical prostatectomy.
Current clinical parameters have limited ability to accurately and consistently predict prostate cancer aggressiveness at time of biopsy or the risk of disease recurrence after definitive local therapy, such as radical prostatectomy. The Prolaris test was developed to meet both of these significant unmet clinical needs in an effort to provide patients and physicians with the ability to better predict disease outcome and to thereby optimize treatment and decision making. This is the fourth study performed which analyzed the ability of the Prolaris test to be used as a prognostic and assess the aggressiveness of a man's prostate cancer. Previous studies were performed on radical prostatectomy, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), and biopsy tissue. In every study, the Prolaris score was the strongest single predictor of prostate cancer aggressiveness.
About Myriad Genetics
Myriad Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:MYGN) is a leading molecular diagnostic company dedicated to developing and marketing transformative tests to assess a person's risk of developing disease, guide treatment decisions and assess a patient's risk of disease progression and disease recurrence. Myriad's portfolio of nine molecular diagnostic tests are based on an understanding of the role genes play in human disease and were developed with a focus on improving an individual's decision making process for monitoring and treating disease. With fiscal year 2011 annual revenue of over $400 million and more than 1,000 employees, Myriad is working on strategic directives, including new product introductions, companion diagnostics, and international expansion, to take advantage of significant growth opportunities. For more information on how Myriad is making a difference, please visit the Company's website: www.myriad.com.
Myriad, the Myriad logo, BRACAnalysis, Colaris, Colaris AP, Melaris, TheraGuide, Prezeon, OnDose, Panexia and Prolaris are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myriad Genetics, Inc. in the United States and foreign countries. 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 relating to the ability of Myriad's Prolaris test to significantly predict biochemical recurrence risk after prostatectomy; the need for better risk assessment tools to predict disease recurrence; the study findings demonstrating the ability of the Prolaris test either alone, or in conjunction with pathologic features, to predict which men may have an aggressive form of prostate cancer and are at an increased risk for recurrence; the belief that the Prolaris test will help men and healthcare providers make better-informed decisions regarding additional treatment after surgery; the conclusion of the authors that the study findings may help men and healthcare providers make better informed decisions regarding treatment after radical prostatectomy; and the Company's strategic directives under the caption "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 existing molecular diagnostic tests and companion diagnostic services may decline or will not continue to increase at historical rates; the risk that we may be unable to expand into new markets outside of the United States; the risk that we may be unable to develop or achieve commercial success for additional molecular diagnostic tests and companion diagnostic services in a timely manner, or at all; the risk that we may not successfully develop new markets for our molecular diagnostic tests and companion diagnostic 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 companion diagnostic services and any future products are terminated or cannot be maintained on satisfactory terms; risks related to delays or other problems with manufacturing our products or operating our laboratory testing facilities; 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 healthcare payment systems; risks related to our ability to obtain new corporate collaborations 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 acquire; the development of competing tests and services; the risk that we or our licensors may be unable to protect the proprietary technologies underlying our tests; the risk of patent-infringement and invalidity claims or challenges of our patents; 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 in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K 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.
CONTACT: Rebecca Chambers Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications (801) 584-1143 rchambers@myriad.com
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