The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Myriad Genetics, Inc. have announced a five-year strategic alliance focused on accelerating the clinical evaluation and development of Myriad's molecular residual disease (MRD) assay, known as Precise MRD.
The collaboration aims to leverage Myriad's diagnostic experience and MD Anderson's clinical and translational research expertise to generate a portfolio of studies evaluating the clinical validity and utility of Precise MRD. The goal is to determine how the ultrasensitive MRD test can enhance treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes.
Collaborative Study Design
Under the terms of the agreement, MD Anderson and Myriad Genetics will collaborate on designing both retrospective and prospective studies. These studies will investigate the test's utility across a spectrum of cancers, including breast, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and gynecological cancers. The primary objective is to generate robust evidence supporting national guideline inclusion and broader healthcare provider adoption.
Christopher Flowers, M.D., division head of Cancer Medicine at MD Anderson, stated, "This strategic alliance brings together cutting-edge technology and expertise from Myriad with disease-focused expertise and clinical trials excellence from MD Anderson. We aim to explore numerous applications for MRD testing, including monitoring patients for relapse after treatment, identifying high-risk patients in need of clinical trials and, potentially, intervention approaches."
Roles and Responsibilities
MD Anderson investigators will lead patient enrollment, sample collection, clinical data analysis, and manuscript writing. Myriad will provide funding, MRD testing services, and scientific research support. The agreement also includes potential milestone and royalty payments to MD Anderson based on the collaboration's success.
Potential Impact of Precise MRD
Precise MRD is designed to quantitatively detect tumor-derived DNA at very low levels, exceeding the sensitivity of first-generation MRD tests. This enhanced sensitivity could open new avenues for monitoring therapy response and detecting recurrence earlier than previously possible.
Dale Muzzey, Ph.D., chief scientific officer at Myriad Genetics, commented, "We look forward to working with MD Anderson to evaluate Precise MRD's utility in cancer care... We are optimistic that our MRD test's ability to quantitatively detect tumor-derived DNA at very low levels - far lower than is possible with first-generation MRD tests - will open new opportunities for therapy response and recurrence monitoring."
The alliance builds upon existing collaborations between MD Anderson researchers and Myriad, including ongoing studies in breast cancer and renal cell carcinoma.
