Abbott enters into a licensing agreement with Advanced Life Science Institute, Inc. (ALSI) for its Pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP). ProGRP is a biomarker that may assist clinicians in diagnosing and monitoring small cell lung cancer, an aggressive type of cancer that can multiply quickly and rapidly spread throughout the body. Currently, no diagnostic test is approved in the US for testing serum for lung cancer. However, serum diagnostic tests are commonly used by physicians to confirm the presence of other diseases.

"ProGRP has shown promise in preliminary studies as a test for lung cancer, which accounts for about 13 per cent of the new lung cancer cases in the US alone each year. Through automation, this marker could be further refined for clinical use," said William Brown, VP, diagnostic assays and systems development, Abbott.

Under terms of the agreement, Abbott obtains worldwide rights to commercialize products using ALSI's ProGRP material and technology. Other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"In Japan, scientific findings on ProGRP have already influenced how small cell lung cancer is diagnosed and managed by physicians. By partnering with Abbott, ALSI may be able to bring this tumour marker technology, and its potential to improve patient outcomes through earlier diagnosis, to a larger audience," said Tetsuo Itoh, president and CEO, Advanced Life Science Institute, Inc.