Abbott has selected Celera Genomics' two antigen targets for further investigation and potential therapeutic development. These are in addition to the two targets Abbott selected for advancement in April 2005. Abbott now has a total of four targets under investigation from the strategic collaboration established between Celera Genomics and Abbott to discover, develop and commercialise therapies for the treatment of cancer.

"Our collaboration with Abbott continues to be productive and we're pleased with their selection of these two additional antigens for further investigation. This is further validation of the value our proteomics platform has yielded in discovering and validating targets in pancreatic, lung, colon, breast, gastric, prostate and renal cancers. We now have five antigens in the research pipeline with our partners, and we are working to move additional targets forward for therapeutic development through current and future collaborations," said Kathy Ordonez, president of Celera Genomics.

Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, a number of protein antigens identified and validated by Celera Genomics are being screened by Abbott. The collaboration encompasses the development of therapeutic antibodies and small molecule drugs against over-expressed cell-surface proteins that have been associated with cancer and identified as therapeutic targets through proteomics research at Celera Genomics, states the company release.

Once this development is complete, Celera Genomics may elect to jointly fund clinical development and commercialisation of any resulting therapeutic products and would share any financial returns resulting from commercialisation, or alternately be paid milestones and royalties on successful therapies. Abbott has responsibility for the commercialization of jointly funded collaboration products. Celera Genomics retains certain diagnostic rights associated with selected targets.

Celera Genomics is focused on discovery, development, and commercialisation of diagnostic products as well as leveraging its proteomic, bio-informatic, and genomic capabilities to identify and validate drug targets and pharmacogenomic markers.