Europroteome AG have extended their research collaboration with Abbott Laboratories for the discovery and development of novel breast cancer diagnostic tests upon successfully reaching a project milestone. The extension triggers a milestone payment from Abbott to Europroteome, according to a company release.

Under the agreement signed in February 2004, Europroteome applies advanced proteomic and bioinformatic technologies to analyze serum samples from women with breast cancer. Data are aligned with a panel of cancer markers available from Abbott Laboratories on Abbott's automated immunoassay platforms. Combinations of markers are selected for further development and integration into Abbott's instrument platforms, used widely in hospitals and clinical laboratories throughout the world.

Abbott made an upfront payment to Europroteome and has provided commercial assay kits and instruments. Abbott has an option for a royalty-bearing license to the results from the research collaboration and will be responsible for commercial assay development and worldwide sales and marketing, the release says.

Ulrich Traugott, chief executive officer, Europroteome said, "The extension of this collaboration underlines Europroteome's strength in cancer biomarker discovery. Abbott is a first-choice development partner who will ensure that the results of this collaboration are rapidly translated into products that provide a significant medical benefit."