Myriad Genetics Blog Myriad Genetics Blog > 50 Years After the Monoclonal Antibody Breakthrough: Why Precision Medicine Still Needs Reinventing 50 Years After the Monoclonal Antibody Breakthrough: Why Precision Medicine Still Needs Reinventing September 4, 2025 Oncology In July 1975, a scientific paper in Nature by César Milstein and Georges Köhler described how to produce monoclonal antibodies: highly specific, identical immune proteins that could detect or target virtually any substance in the body. At the time, it was a technical feat. Over the next five decades, it would become a pillar of modern medicine. Monoclonal antibodies transformed how we treat cancer, diagnose autoimmune disease, and understand complex biological systems. Their legacy is now measured in lives extended and conditions once considered untreatable that are now manageable. But even as this breakthrough shaped the trajectory of precision medicine, an uncomfortable truth remains: much of that precision still doesn’t reach the patients who need it most. Less than 10% of patients who meet criteria for germline testing actually receive it. Many oncologists in community settings, where more than 80% of patients are diagnosed, report time, cost, and confidence barriers that delay or prevent testing. And disparities persist across race, geography, and socioeconomic status, leaving blind spots in care and gaps in outcomes. It’s not for lack of technology. It’s for the lack of connection between the innovation and the realities of real-world care. That’s where the next chapter in precision medicine must begin. At Myriad Genetics, we believe the promise of precision medicine can only be realized when it is accessible, practical, and deeply integrated into the way clinicians deliver care. Our mission today is shaped by the belief that advanced science should not require a specialist to use or a system overhaul to implement. We’ve reintroduced ourselves to the oncology community—not as a single-test company, but as a partner across the full cancer journey. At Myriad Oncology™, our comprehensive portfolio of genetic and tumor genomic tests is designed to work together to inform personalized care decisions for patients based on wherever they are in their cancer journey, including high-risk unaffected, diagnosis (early stage), progression (late stage) and survivorship. This includes: MyRisk® Hereditary Cancer Test for hereditary cancer risk assessment Prolaris® Prostate Cancer Prognostic Test for prostate cancer prognosis and active surveillance planning MyChoice® CDx HRD Companion Diagnostic Test for HRD testing in ovarian cancer EndoPredict® Breast Cancer Prognostic Test for breast cancer recurrence risk Precise Tumor® Molecular Profile Test for deep molecular profiling across solid tumors Each of these tests is valuable on its own. But their collective power comes from how they support each other, and how they’re delivered as a unified, patient-centric solution. We’ve also designed our support infrastructure around the needs of busy clinicians. Myriad’s model includes EMR-integrated ordering, board-certified genetic counselors, and clear, actionable reports that allow providers to stay focused on their patients, not on paperwork. This isn’t about more tests. It’s about working toward making each test more meaningful, particularly in community oncology, where many patients begin and continue their care. It’s about supporting clinicians in moving toward guideline-aligned testing, without requiring them to become genetic experts themselves. And it’s about narrowing, where possible, the gap between the potential of precision medicine and its current application. The monoclonal antibody discovery was about creating a tool that could help us understand disease at its source. That spirit remains just as urgent today. With the rapid evolution of cancer care and the rising complexity of biomarker-informed treatment, the roles of germline and tumor genomic testing are even more central, or more in need of reinvention. That’s the role we’re embracing at Myriad: delivering the science and ensuring it reaches the patient. Our aim is to assist community oncologists in personalizing care within both the clinic and the lab. And we are focused on reducing missed opportunities and creating greater clarity, because that’s what precision should be.