Specialty Labs licenses Celera's cirrhosis markers

Celera Genomics and fellow USA-based Specialty Laboratories, a firm that provides test to hospitals, have signed an agreement granting the latter a non-exclusive license to the former's risk markers for cirrhosis.

The license allows Specialty to select from among Celera's genetic knowledge database to develop and commercialize a genetic test that predicts risk-of-progression to liver cirrhosis in individuals infected with hepatitis C virus. Specialty intends to develop a suite of single nucleotide polymorphisms based on Celera's findings that predict risk of cirrhosis in patients with chronic HCV that are believed to be more useful than present clinical risk factors.

Under the terms of the deal, Specialty will pay Celera an undisclosed upfront license fee on successful validation of the former's test, and royalties on net sales from their commercial use in the USA. Further financial details were not disclosed.