Investor Relations

The study, led by Myriad Scientists Steven Stone and Donna Shattuck, with Steven C. Hunt and Ted D. Adams of the University of Utah School of Medicine, describes the linkage evidence to a previously undetected obesity predisposition locus at 4p15-p14. The statistical support for this linkage is extensive and unparalleled in obesity genetics research, demonstrating the Company's ability to successfully apply its suite of innovative linkage analysis tools to a complex genetic disease.

Complex genetic diseases like obesity have posed a difficult challenge to genetics researchers. Generally, a LOD score of 3.6 is considered significant evidence for the presence of a disease gene. The higher the score, the more likely that the disease gene will eventually be identified. LOD scores are logarithmic so that a LOD of 4 is 10 times higher than a LOD of 3. The authors conclude that, given the magnitude of the LOD score, at 11.3, and because almost half of the families with severe obesity in this study are linked to this region, this gene could explain a significant percentage of severe obesity.

"By carefully selecting pedigrees and by focusing on severely obese individuals we were able to reduce the underlying genetic complexity of obesity and maximize our ability to detect genetic linkage," said Steven Stone, Ph. D., Project Director for Obesity at Myriad Genetics, Inc. "The probability of observing by chance a LOD score of 11.3 is about 1 in a billion, and therefore, we are confident that this region contains an important obesity-causing gene."

Steven C. Hunt, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine and Head of Cardiovascular Genetics at the University of Utah School of Medicine, added, "These interesting results could not have been obtained without the cooperation of many Utah families, for which we are sincerely grateful. The findings demonstrate the power of performing linkage analyses on large Utah pedigrees."

The incidence of obesity has reached epidemic proportions, both in the United States and many other industrialized nations. Individuals with severe obesity, with a BMI of over 35, suffer not only from the direct physical and psychological consequences of being overweight, but also from the increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and some types of cancer. Current obesity therapies are largely ineffective and there is an urgent need to define the etiology of this disease and initiate rational, mechanism-based drug development.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) identify overweight as a BMI of 25-29.9 kg/m2, and obesity as a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater. By this widely accepted definition, more than half of the adults in the United States are overweight, and more than one fourth are obese. The prevalence of obesity during the past 30 years has increased more than 50 percent -- with most of this rise occurring in the past decade. From 1991 to 1998, obesity increased in every state of the United States, in both genders, and across all races/ethnicities, age groups, educational levels, and smoking statuses. Americans spend over $33 Billion annually on weight loss products and services, according to economic impact studies of the disease.

Myriad Genetics, Inc. is a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel healthcare products. The Company has established two wholly owned subsidiaries. Myriad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. develops and intends to market therapeutic products, and Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc. develops and markets proprietary predictive medicine and personalized medicine products. The Company has established strategic alliances with Abbott, Bayer, DuPont, Eli Lilly, Hitachi, Novartis, Oracle, Pharmacia, Roche, Schering AG, Schering-Plough and Syngenta.

The discussion in this news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Such statements are based on management's current expectations that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth or implied by forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to uncertainties as to the extent of future government regulation of Myriad Genetics' business, uncertainties as to whether Myriad Genetics and its collaborators will be successful in developing, and obtaining regulatory approval for, and commercial acceptance of, therapeutics; the risk that markets will not exist for therapeutic compounds that Myriad Genetics develops or if such markets exist, that Myriad Genetics will not be able to sell compounds, which it develops, at acceptable prices. These and other risks identified in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2001. All information in this press release is as of April 15, 2002, and Myriad undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

SOURCE Myriad Genetics, Inc.