SAN FRANCISCO (Thomson Financial) - 3M Co. and Gen-Probe Inco. said late
Monday 3M has discontinued the companies' collaboration to develop rapid
molecular tests for healthcare-associated infections.
The collaboration was discontinued due to technical incompatibilities
between Gen-Probe's nucleic acid testing technologies and 3M's microfluidics
instrument platform. The companies said they are exploring the possibility of a
future marketing collaboration.
Under the terms of the now discontinued agreement, Gen-Probe was responsible
for assay development, which 3M funded. 3M also agreed to pay milestones to
Gen-Probe based on technical and commercial progress. Gen-Probe earned the first
of these milestones in the fourth quarter of 2007.
"We intend to evaluate the merits of developing molecular tests for HCAIs to
run on our next-generation automated instruments," said Steve Kondor,
Gen-Probe's senior vice president of sales and marketing, in a statement. "This
approach, if successful, could help us develop products more rapidly, while
further establishing our instrument platforms among current and future low- to
mid-volume customers."
Shares of St. Paul, Minn.-based 3M closed at $75.20, while shares of San
Diego-based Gen-Probe closed at $54.30.
Gabriel Madway
gm
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