By Karen Pihl-Carey

Myriad Genetics Inc. formed its fourth strategic alliance with a major pharmaceutical company to use its ProNet technology for drug discovery.

In a deal with Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. worth up to $13 million, Salt Lake City-based Myriad has agreed to use the technology to discover drug targets to treat heart disease.

"It's our fourth ProNet partner. We're really excited to have Roche as a new partner as well because once pharmaceutical companies use these technologies, they usually expand the use within the organization," said William Hockett, spokesman for Myriad. "They find its value, so it's put to use more widely."

The $13 million consists of an up-front payment, research and development support for three years, as well as milestones. Hockett said the figure could not be broken down further, but that the deal's potential worth could rise.

"If we deliver additional targets to Roche, the total will go up," he said. "This is a conservative number based on what we feel is a minimum number of drug targets [delivered] to Roche."

Myriad's ProNet technology defines disease pathways through the interactions of proteins. The interactions can control processes, such as cell growth pathways, intercellular signaling, cell aging and programmed cell death. The pathways are discovered and evaluated by ProNet for their potential to be modified to disrupt the disease process.

The ProNet technology has delivered six potential drug targets to Myriad's collaborators, and it has identified seven other drug targets for the company itself. Most recently, the technology identified a new HIV drug target that could lead to a new class of therapeutics. (See BioWorld Today, Nov. 19, 1999, p. 1.)

Myriad already has partnered its ProNet technology with Bayer Corp., of Pittsburgh; Monsanto Co., of St. Louis; and Schering AG, of Berlin. The agreement with Schering recently was expanded outside the area of cancer therapeutics and into the area of identifying treatments for heart disease. (See BioWorld Today, Oct. 27, 1999, p. 1.)

But Hockett said Myriad's two collaborations using ProNet for heart disease, one with Schering and one with Roche, do not conflict with each other.

"This [the Roche collaboration] is focused on a specific cardiovascular disease pathway, which was not disclosed," Hockett told BioWorld Today. "Schering is using it broadly within its various programs in cardiovascular disease. This is a focused program, a very specific indication. It appears to be a novel approach because it's a new angle on how to prevent cardiovascular disease."

The collaboration with Bayer focuses on drug targets related to dementia and depression. Myriad and Bayer also are collaborating on discovering genes for obesity, asthma and osteoporosis. The collaboration with Monsanto is focused on two undisclosed areas.

Hockett said the deal with Roche, of Nutley, N.J., raises Myriad's total potential value of all corporate collaborations to $385 million. The company's ProNet deals potentially are worth just over $143 million.

"I think the pharmaceutical companies are really recognizing the value of ProNet," he said. "And this won't be our last ProNet deal by any means."

Myriad's stock (NASDAQ:MYGN) closed Wednesday at $47.75, up $1.