On January 3, 2018 Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYGN), a leader in molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine, reported that AstraZeneca will use the Company’s myChoice HRD Plus in an exploratory analysis to identify women with advanced ovarian cancer who may benefit from maintenance treatment with Lynparza (olaparib) and Avastin (bevacizumab) (Press release, Myriad Genetics, JAN 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234522828]). Financial terms were not disclosed.

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Under the agreement, Myriad will use its myChoice HRD Plus test to evaluate patients enrolled in an ongoing Phase III trial. In this collaboration, the companies will use the myChoice HRD Plus test to identify cases with homologous recombination deficiencies (HRD).

"As the pioneer in companion diagnostics for PARP inhibitors, we are excited to continue our collaboration with AstraZeneca and to apply innovative new technologies like myChoice HRD Plus to increase the number of patients who may benefit from Lynparza," said Jerry Lanchbury, Ph.D., chief scientific officer, Myriad Genetics. "myChoice HRD Plus is the most comprehensive test for identifying defects in DNA repair pathways. We are optimistic that myChoice HRD Plus will identify more women with ovarian cancer who could benefit from therapy with Lynparza than previous tests that only identify germline BRCA1/2 mutations."

The ongoing collaboration with AstraZeneca to develop a novel companion diagnostic test to identify candidates for treatment with olaparib began in 2007. In Dec. 2014, Myriad received FDA approval for BRACAnalysis CDx to help identify patients with advanced ovarian cancer who are eligible for fourth-line treatment with olaparib. BRACAnalysis CDx is Myriad’s first FDA-approved companion diagnostic and was the first-ever laboratory developed test approved by the FDA.

About Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer has the lowest survival rate of all female cancers. Ovarian cancer is diagnosed annually in nearly a quarter of a million women globally, and is responsible for 140,000 deaths each year. Statistics show that just 45 percent of women with ovarian cancer are likely to survive for five years. The majority of patients are only identified in the advanced stages when the disease becomes more difficult to treat.

About myChoice HRD Plus
Myriad’s myChoice HRD Plus is the most comprehensive homologous recombination deficiency test to detect when a tumor has lost the ability to repair double-stranded DNA breaks, resulting in increased susceptibility to DNA-damaging drugs such as platinum drugs or PARP inhibitors. The myChoice HRD Plus test is a composite of three proprietary technologies (loss of heterozygosity, telomeric allelic imbalance and large-scale state transitions) and up to 90 other genes and molecular markers including microsatellite instability associated with DNA repair pathways.

Positive myChoice HRD Plus scores, reflective of DNA repair deficiencies, are prevalent in all breast cancer subtypes, ovarian cancer and most other major cancers. It is estimated that 1.4 million people in the United States and Europe who are diagnosed with cancers annually may be candidates for treatment with DNA-damaging agents. Learn more: View Source

About Lynparza
Lynparza (olaparib) is an innovative, first-in-class oral poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor that exploits tumor DNA damage response (DDR) pathway deficiencies to preferentially kill cancer cells. Lynparza is the foundation of AstraZeneca’s industry-leading portfolio of compounds targeting DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms in cancer cells. Lynparza is currently approved in the United States for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, who are in a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy and for the treatment of adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer who have been treated with three or more prior lines of chemotherapy. Patients are selected for therapy based on Myriad’s FDA-approved companion diagnostic. It is also approved by regulatory health authorities in the EU for use as monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed BRCA-mutated (germline and/or somatic) high grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who are in response (complete or partial) to platinum-based chemotherapy.

In July 2017, AstraZeneca and Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ USA announced a global strategic oncology collaboration to jointly co-develop and co-commercialize Lynparza.

On January 3, 2018 Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:DCPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on addressing key mechanisms of tumor drug resistance, reported that Michael D. Taylor, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, will present at the 36th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. PT at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco (Press release, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, JAN 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234522870]).

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A live webcast of the event will be available on the "Events and Presentations" page in the "Investors" section of the Company’s website at View Source A replay of the webcast will be archived on the Company’s website for 90 days following the presentation.

On January 3, 2018 Molecular Partners AG (SIX: MOLN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of drugs known as DARPin therapies, reported that Allergan has exercised two options to develop and commercialize DARPin product candidates from its 2012 discovery alliance agreement with Molecular Partners (Press release, Molecular Partners, JAN 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234522825]). Upon receipt of approval under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, Molecular Partners will grant Allergan an exclusive license to the selected DARPin molecules for use in ophthalmology.

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Molecular Partners and Allergan entered into a broad discovery alliance in ophthalmology in 2012 aiming to develop novel multi-DARPin molecules for diseases with high unmet medical need. This alliance broadened the initial collaboration on abicipar, which is now in phase 3 development in wet AMD.

All amounts payable under these two option exercises are included in the aggregate milestone payments and the tiered royalty payments previously disclosed in our July 21, 2015 press release. Molecular Partners is entitled to certain success based development, regulatory and sales milestone payments aggregating up to USD 640 million, as well as tiered royalty payments (up to low double digit percentage range) on any future product sales. Allergan will be responsible for all future development costs.

"The DARPin platform is a key part of our strategy to develop highly differentiated drugs in ophthalmology," said David Nicholson, Chief R&D Officer, Allergan. "Our partnership with Molecular Partners continues to deliver such differentiated drug candidates and by exercising these options we will obtain exclusive rights to develop and commercialize these molecules and expand our efforts to address important diseases in ophthalmology. "

"We are excited to support our long-standing partner Allergan in advancing multi-DARPin product candidates. This is an important showcase of the value of the DARPin platform to deliver potential patient benefit in ophthalmology in addition to the work Molecular Partners is doing in oncology. I would like to thank the teams on both sides of the collaboration for their efforts and the achievement of this important milestone," commented Patrick Amstutz, CEO of Molecular Partners.

About abicipar
Abicipar is a long-acting mono-DARPin drug candidate that inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and is currently under investigation for the treatment of two major causes of blindness worldwide:
neovascular, or wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME). Abicipar has the potential to require less frequent injections into the eye than the current anti-VEGF standards of care, while providing equal or better improvements in vision, both seen as mayor patient benefits in these indications. Molecular Partners granted an exclusive license to Allergan for Abicipar in May 2011.

About the DARPin Difference
DARPin therapeutics are a new class of protein therapeutics opening an extra dimension of multi-specificity and multi-functionality. DARPin candidates are potent, specific, safe and very versatile. They can engage in more than 5 targets at once, offering potential benefits over those offered by conventional monoclonal antibodies or other currently available protein therapeutics. The DARPin technology is a fast and cost-effective drug discovery engine, producing drug candidates with ideal properties for development and very high production yields.

With their good safety profile, low immunogenicity and long half-life in the bloodstream and the eye, DARPin therapies have the potential to advance modern medicine and significantly improve the treatment of serious diseases, including cancer and sight-threatening disorders. Molecular Partners is partnering with Allergan to advance clinical programs in ophthalmology, and is advancing a proprietary pipeline of DARPin drug candidates in oncology. The most advanced global product candidate is abicipar, a molecule currently in Phase 3, in partnership with Allergan. Several DARPin molecules for various ophthalmic indications are also in development. The most advanced systemic DARPin molecule, MP0250, is in Phase 1 clinical development for the treatment of solid tumors and has entered into Phase 2 development for hematological tumors. In addition, Molecular Partners intends to further evaluate MP0250 for solid tumors in a phase 1b/2 trial for EGFR-mutated NSCLC. MP0274, the second-most advanced DARPin drug candidate in oncology, has broad anti-HER activity; it inhibits HER1, HER2 and HER3-mediated downstream signaling via Her2, leading to induction of apoptosis. MP0274 has just moved into Phase 1. Molecular Partners is also advancing a growing preclinical pipeline that features several immuno-oncological development programs. DARPin is a registered trademark owned by Molecular Partners AG.

On January 3, 2018 Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE American: ATNM) ("Actinium" or "the Company") reported that the Company will be attending the Biotech Showcase 2018 being held January 8-10, 2018 at the Hilton San Francisco: Union Square in San Francisco, California (Press release, Actinium Pharmaceuticals, JAN 3, 2018, View Source [SID1234522841]). Representatives from Actinium’s business development, clinical development and executive teams will be attending the conference, and will be available for one-on-one meetings during the conference. To arrange an investor meeting with Actinium please contact, Steve O’Loughlin, Actinium’s Principal Financial Officer at [email protected] and to arrange a business development meeting please contact David Gould, M.D., Actinium’s Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Corporate Affairs at [email protected]. Meetings can also be scheduled through the partneringONE system View Source

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Information for Actinium’s presentation are as follows:

Date: Monday, January 8, 2018
Time: 10:00 AM PT
Track: Yosemite – A (Ballroom Level)
Venue: Hilton San Francisco Union Square Hotel, 333 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco

About Biotech Showcase

Biotech Showcase, produced by Demy-Colton and EBD Group, is an investor and networking conference devoted to providing private and public biotechnology and life sciences companies with an opportunity to present to, and meet with, investors and pharmaceutical executives in one place during the course of one of the industry’s largest annual healthcare investor conferences, J.P. Morgan Annual Healthcare Conference.

On January 3, 2018 Audentes Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BOLD), a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing gene therapy products for patients living with serious, life-threatening rare diseases, reported that Matthew R. Patterson, President and Chief Executive Officer, will provide a corporate overview and 2018 outlook at the 36th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, CA (Press release, Audentes Therapeutics, JAN 3, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2324604 [SID1234522861]). The presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, January 10, 2018, at 2:30 pm PT.

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To access a live webcast of the presentations, please visit the Events & Presentations page within the Investors & News section of the Audentes website. Replays of live webcasts will be available on the Audentes website for approximately 30 days following the conferences.