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| |  Women of Ashkenazi Jewish Descent Have Greater Risk of Breast Cancer SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 29, 1996 -- In a study published today in Nature Genetics, researchers from Myriad Genetics, Inc., Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the University of Utah and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, reported that 8 percent of women of Ashkenazi Jewish decent diagnosed with early onset breast cancer have one specific mutation in their BRCA2 gene. This common mutation prevents the BRCA2 gene from producing a tumor suppressor protein which controls cell growth. These findings, in combination with earlier studies indicate that Ashkenazi Jewish women have a much greater risk of developing early onset hereditary breast cancer as a result of a defective BRCA2 or BRCA1 gene than women in the general population. The results of this report also suggest that these two common BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations may account for over 25% of all early onset breast cancer cases in Ashkenazi Jewish women. A detailed announcement regarding the research findings has been issued by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Myriad plans to introduce genetic tests for physician use for the BRCA1 gene in the second half of 1996 and for the BRCA2 gene in the first half of 1997. The tests are based on Myriad's discovery of the BRCA1 gene in 1994 and its discovery of the full sequence of the BRCA2 gene in 1995. Myriad has filed patent applications on the BRCA1 gene, the BRCA2 gene, and both of these common mutations. "The discoveries presented in Nature Genetics about Ashkenazi women will assist physicians in determining who would benefit most from the genetic tests to be offered by Myriad. In addition, the data may offer a potential explanation for the high geographic occurrence of breast cancer in areas such as Long Island, NY, with a particularly large Ashkenazi Jewish population," said Peter D. Meldrum, President of Myriad Genetics, Inc. Mr. Meldrum also noted that in light of these findings it is particularly important that legislation be passed to ensure the privacy of genetic information. Mr. Meldrum applauds the recent Senate passage of the Kennedy-Kassebaum, Healthcare Reform Act of 1996, including an amendment that would prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals because of genetic predisposition. The two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BReast CAncer), code for proteins with novel tumor suppressor functions. Defects or mutations in these two genes greatly increase the risk of cancer and are believed to be responsible for approximately 90 percent of early-onset, hereditary breast cancer and 90 percent of hereditary ovarian cancer. A mutation in either BRCA1 or BRCA2 confers an 85 percent chance of developing breast cancer during a woman's lifetime and a mutation in BRCA1 confers a 44 percent lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer. In contrast, women in the general population in the United States have a 10 percent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer and a one percent chance of developing ovarian cancer. Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 are also associated with the occurrence of breast cancer at an earlier average age, 45 years of age as compared to 64 years of age in the general population. "The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic predisposition tests represent a new and potentially useful tool in risk assessment, providing an indication of the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer," Janet Haskell, President of Myriad's genetic testing subsidiary, noted. "The identification of inherited mutations of these cancer predisposing genes will have a significant impact on the practice of medicine and holds promise of improved prevention and early detection of breast cancer." According to Haskell, knowledge provided by genetic testing promotes an individual woman's awareness of her cancer risk, thereby allowing a woman to work with her health care provider to determine a personalized surveillance and prevention plan. This information is also useful to cancer specialists in addressing such issues as the risk of secondary cancers and rational treatment strategies for women with inherited cancer susceptibilities. Myriad Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MYGN), based in Salt Lake City, Utah is a gene discovery and genetic testing company focused on the discovery and commercialization of genes involved in major common disorders, including cancer, heart disease, and disorders of the central nervous system. The Company has formed strategic alliances with Ciba-Geigy Corp., Bayer Corp., and Eli Lilly and Co. The discussion in this news release includes forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from such expectations include: intense competition related to the discovery of disease-related genes and the possibility that others may discover, and the Company may not be able to gain rights with respect to, genes important to the establishment of a successful genetic testing business; difficulties inherent in developing genetic tests once genes have been discovered; the Company's limited experience in developing a genetic testing laboratory; the Company's limited marketing and sales experience and the risk that any tests which the Company develops may not be able to be marketed at acceptable prices or receive commercial acceptance in the markets that the Company expects to target; uncertainty as to whether there will exist adequate reimbursement for the Company's services from government, private healthcare insurers and third-party payors; and uncertainties as to the extent of future government regulation of the Company's business. The discussion in this news release includes forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from such expectations include: difficulties inherent in developing genetic tests once genes have been discovered; uncertainty as to whether there will exist adequate reimbursement for genetic testing services from government, private healthcare insurers and third-party payors; uncertainty as to the resolution of issues regarding the appropriate utilization and confidentiality of information provided by genetic testing; and uncertainties as to the extent of future government regulation of the genetic testing business.
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