Myriad and Abbott expand collaboration

Myriad Genetics and Abbott Laboratories have expanded their strategic alliance to include a broad new pharmacogenetics programme.

The research collaboration will focus on identifying genetic variation within the general population around drug targets in various stages of development.

Abbott will fund all research under this collaboration and will retain sole ownership of the results. Myriad will receive a first right on personalised medicine products for reference lab uses that result from the collaboration.

Myriad will use its high-throughput sequencing technologies and proprietary mutation screening software to analyse samples from various populations to identify genetic polymorphisms. The results of this collaboration may help Abbott's drug discovery programmes to develop drugs that will be the most effective for the widest range of patients.

'We are pleased to expand our successful relationship with Abbott into pharmacogenetics, an area in which Myriad can bring to bear its proprietary technologies,' said Peter Meldrum, president and chief executive officer of Myriad Genetics. 'There is significant potential through this collaboration to develop new personalised medicine products in areas of important and growing healthcare needs.'