Myriad Genetics' MyChoice HRD Test Identifies Patients With Ovarian Cancer

(RTTNews) - Myriad Genetics Inc. (MYGN) announced that its myChoice HRD test successfully identified an increased number of patients with ovarian cancer who may benefit from treatment with niraparib. Niraparib is an investigational oral PARP inhibitor being developed by TESARO (TSRO).

Today's announcement follows results of the NOVA study (NCT01847274), which evaluated the safety and efficacy of niraparib as a maintenance therapy in more than 500 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. The primary outcome was the prolongation of progression-free survival (PFS). Patients were divided into two groups: those with a germline BRCA mutation and those without. Patients without a germline BRCA mutation were evaluated for homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) using Myriad's myChoice HRD test. Patients in both groups were randomized to receive niraparib or placebo.

The study demonstrated that the myChoice HRD test approximately doubled the number of patients who may benefit from niraparib treatment than identified by the current FDA-approved BRACAnalysis CDx test. Importantly, patients who were germline BRCA negative, but myChoice HRD positive, experienced over a threefold increase in median PFS with niraparib compared to placebo.