Myriad expands collaboration with Tesaro and Merck, 4/16

Myriad Genetics announced a strategic research collaboration with Tesaro and Merck (known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada) to help identify potential responders to an investigational combination drug therapy using Tesaro’s PARP inhibitor (niraparib) plus Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will use Myriad’s myChoice HRD test and new tumor tests to evaluate treatment response in a clinical trial evaluating the combination of niraparib plus pembrolizumab in patients with triple negative breast cancer or ovarian cancer.

The agreement builds on a collaboration with Tesaro that began in March 2014. Since then, Myriad has been working with Tesaro to use the myChoice HRD test to identify ovarian cancer patients who may respond to niraparib, which is in phase three clinical development.

Myriad Genetics, 801-584-3600