Sequenom Inc., which makes genetic analysis products, recently announced that a non-invasive prenatal test used to detect Down syndrome in a mother's blood was successful in all 200 samples without any false positives.

Sequenom said that current testing options have a detection rate of between 70 percent and 90 percent, with false-positive rates as high as 5 percent.

The company said it plans to continue development of the SEQureDX test through the end of the year before transferring it to laboratory partners. In addition, the company will start a study of several thousand samples in the fourth quarter in preparation for a launch of the test in the first half of 2009.

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