Matritech, Sysmex end partnership:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Diagnostics specialist Matritech has regained full rights to its NMP 179 cervical cancer technology, after terminating a worldwide license agreement with its development partner Sysmex. The companies will end their collaboration, initiated in 2002 (see Clinica No 1035, p 14), to develop an automated process of screening cervical cell specimens that would combine Matritech's patented biomarker with Sysmex' flow cytometry know-how. The move comes after Newton, Massachusetts-based Matritech agreed to be acquired by Inverness Medical Innovations in August (see Clinica No 1271, p 3). The use of NMP179 protein biomarker in Pap tests could help increase the accuracy of visually identifying cervical cells which need inspection by pathologists, according to the company.