Abbott to Develop Preeclampsia Test

Under a recent agreement, worldwide semi-exclusive rights to commercialize products using patents of Nephromics (Chestnut Hill, MA, USA) related to two proteins for detecting and monitoring preeclampsia have been granted to Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, IL, USA).

Abbott intends to develop an in vitro diagnostic test to detect preeclampsia. There is currently no specific diagnostic test for this life-threatening disease that affects many pregnant women each year. "Abbott's goal is to develop prenatal tests that could be utilized for early risk stratification of pregnancy complications,” explained William Brown, Ph.D., vice president, diagnostic assays and systems development, Abbott Labs.

Abbott has a history of developing endocrine and other hormone-related tests and offers a broad range of innovative instrument systems and tests across key segments of the global diagnostics market. Immunodiagnostics is a core component of the company's medical products business.

"Because preeclampsia can strike quickly, potentially causing severe and immediate complications such as seizures and organ failure that threaten both the health of the baby and mother unless pregnancy is induced, early diagnostic tests are needed,” observed David Barch, M.D., medical director, Abbott Diagnostics. "These tests would be developed for use on our premier diagnostic analyzer, the Architect integrated immunoassay and clinical chemistry system.”




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