Myriad Genetics, Inc. announced the launch of Myriad myPath Melanoma, a new diagnostic test to effectively differentiate malignant melanoma from benign pigmented skin lesions.

Myriad recently presented its verification study results at the American Society of Dermatopathology annual meeting, which showed that the myPath Melanoma test demonstrated greater than 90 percent accuracy in differentiating malignant melanoma from benign skin lesions in a variety of subtypes. Results of this study have recently been confirmed in an independent clinical validation study that will be presented at the American Academy of Dermatology in March 2014, according to the company.

“Even with years of clinical experience, pathologists still have cases where a definitive diagnosis is uncertain. In these cases, patients and physicians face the difficult question of whether to treat the lesion as melanoma or risk not treating a potentially fatal cancer,” said Mark C. Capone, president of Myriad Genetic Laboratories. “Myriad myPath Melanoma is designed for these difficult-to-diagnose cases and will provide healthcare providers with objective data that will improve the diagnosis of patients with suspicious skin lesions.”

Myriad myPath Melanoma is being launched in a phased approach beginning with an early-access program—The melEval Program—that will introduce the test to leading dermatopathologists across the country. myPath Melanoma will be sold through a dedicated specialty sales force from Myriad with an average selling price of $1,500. For more information, visit www.isthismelanoma.com.

Myriad myPath Melanoma is the third molecular diagnostic test launched by Myriad this fiscal year. In October, it launched Myriad myPlan Lung Cancer, a new prognostic test for patients diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer. In September, it launched Myriad myRisk Hereditary Cancer, a new multi-gene diagnostic test for eight major hereditary cancers including breast, colorectal, ovarian, endometrial, pancreatic, prostate, gastric, and melanoma.