Myriad Genetics Posts Positive Adjusted Vectra Test Data

Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYGN) recently came up with a favorable study result on the company’s adjusted Vectra score. Published in the journal Rheumatology, this study announced results from a large commercial cohort and several clinical studies on the development of the adjusted Vectra score.

Notably, Vectra is Myriad Genetics’ multi-biomarker molecular blood test, providing an unbiased and personalized measure of inflammatory disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. This test aids in accurate prediction of radiographic progression and guides medical management decisions to improve patient outcomes.An adjusted Vectra DA score was developed to account for three factors that can lead to join damage progression. These are age, gender and degree of adiposity proxied either by serum leptin level or body mass index (BMI).

The key finding of the latest study on Vectra is the adjusted Vectra score, which significantly outperformed the conventional measures of disease activity in predicting radiographic progression (new joint damage) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

In other words, the adjusted Vectra score was the strongest individual predictor of new radiographic joint damage over one year in RA patients. More specifically, this was three times more predictive of radiographic joint damage than DAS28-CRP and five times more predictive than DAS28. Adjusted Vectra score was substantially better than other commonly-used disease activity measures.

The study successfully proves superiority of the adjusted Vectra score over other disease activity measures to predict radiographic progression. Accordingly, this will help individualize treatment plans and improve health outcomes for RA patients.

In this regard, Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that mainly attacks the body’s joints, causing significant morbidity. The treatment options are also pretty expensive. Per Myriad Genetics, at present, approximately 60% of people with inadequately treated RA is unable to work 10 years after onset. Going by an estimate reported in the American College of Rheumatology, RA affects 1.3 million people in the United States. Evidently, the latest positive findings by Myriad Genetics on the adjusted Vectra score are expected to be well-timed and strategic for the company.

Price Performance

Over the past six months, the company’s share price has underperformed the industry. The stock has declined 23%, wider than its industry’s 5.1% decrease.

Zacks Rank & Other Key Picks

Myriad Genetics sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Other top-ranked stocks in the broader medical space include Integer Holdings Corporation (NYSE:ITGR) , Surmodics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRDX) and Veeva Systems (NYSE:VEEV) .

Integer Holdings has an earnings growth rate of 31.2% for the first quarter of 2019. The stock has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy),

Surmodics’ long-term earnings growth rate is projected at 10%. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2 currently.

Veeva Systems’ long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 19.5%. The stock flaunts a Zacks Rank of 1 at the moment. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

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