VitaPath and Alere Partner to Develop Molecular Diagnostics

Alere (Waltham, MA, USA) has licensed worldwide marketing rights to VitaPath’s (Foster City CA, USA) spina bifida risk assessment assay, which is expected to be commercially launched in 2012. In addition, Alere has licensed the right to develop with VitaPath additional product line extensions primarily focused in the area of fetal health. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The assay is a genetic test that identifies elevated risk in women of childbearing age for the common birth defect spina bifida, which can be prevented with high-dose folic acid under the care of a physician.

Spina bifida is the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the United States. Spina bifida occurs when the backbone and spinal canal do not close completely in the first month of pregnancy.

Ron Zwanziger, chairman, CEO and president, Alere Inc., said, “Alere is committed to developing new tools to maximize the chances of a healthy pregnancy, including preconception technologies. VitaPath’s spina bifida assay is a great addition to this growing franchise. We look forward to working with VitaPath to launch this new test and to develop new, exciting risk assessment tools for healthy pregnancies.”

VitaPath Genetics develops molecular assays to predict disorders that can be prevented or safely treated with vitamin-based therapeutics. VitaPath’s discovery and clinical validation platform focuses on common and rare functional genetic variants that are associated with serious disease and can be remediated with minimal risk.

Alere’s global leading products and services, as well as its new product development efforts, focus on infectious disease, cardiology, oncology, drugs of abuse, and women’s health.

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