Myriad Genetics, Inc. a leader in molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine, announced that data from the EMBRACA trial showed Myriad’s BRACAnalysis CDx® test successfully identified patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who responded to Pfizer’s investigational PARP inhibitor, talazoparib.
The EMBRACA trial (NCT01945775) data were presented last week at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). The study included approximately 400 patients, all of whom tested positive for germline BRCA mutations as determined by Myriad’s FDA-approved BRACAnalysis CDx test. As presented at SABCS, the results demonstrated that patients with gBRCA+ locally advanced and/or MBC demonstrated superior progression-free survival (PFS) in patients treated with talazoparib, compared to patients who received physician’s choice standard-of-care chemotherapy. Additionally, the PFS benefit was consistent across metastatic BRCA-positive patients, including those with hormone receptor-positive and triple negative disease.
“BRACAnalysis CDx is the only germline companion diagnostic test approved by the FDA to identify patients with BRCA1/2 mutations, and we are excited to support Pfizer’s clinical development program and help identify patients who are most likely to benefit from talazoparib,” said Mark C. Capone, president and CEO, Myriad Genetics. “As the pioneers in companion diagnostics for PARP inhibitors, we are excited that more patients may benefit from these novel drugs in the future.”
It is estimated there are approximately 60,000 patients with metastatic breast cancer, two thirds of whom are not currently eligible for BRCA testing based upon family and personal history alone or current testing criteria.
Myriad first announced its collaboration to develop a novel companion diagnostic test for talazoparib on Oct. 1, 2013. Under that agreement (originally with BioMarin; now Pfizer), Myriad plans to submit a supplementary premarket approval (sPMA) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under its existing PMA for BRACAnalysis CDx to include talazoparib.
