Subject: Abbott Laboratories And Cetus Develop AIDS-Related Tests
Date: Published: 4/14/86 60 lines
Source:  Wall Street Journal.  Copyright Dow Jones & Co. Inc. 

   Abbott Laboratories
   And Cetus Develop
   AIDS-Related Tests

   Abbott Laboratories said it is developing a diagnostic
test to detect antigens to the virus that causes acquired
immune deficiency syndrome and may file for Food and Drug
Administration approval in a few months.
   Separately, Cetus Corp. said it has developed a diagnostic
technique that can directly detect the presence of the AIDS
virus in blood and semen samples.
   Cetus, an Emeryville, Calif., biotechnology company said
its new AIDS test, which uses radioactive, synthetic DNA
probes that attach themselves to the core genes of the AIDS
virus, is more accurate than the current tests, which
identify antibodies to the AIDS virus but not the virus
itself.  Doctors believe that the antibody test, widely in use
by blood banks to screen donated blood, is of limited value
because some individuals who carry the antibodies have never
had the virus but have been exposed to it, and some who have
the virus may not exhibit the antibodies.
   Cetus also said that the new tool, by providing
researchers with a way to directly monitor the effect of
experimental drugs on the presence of the AIDS virus, could
accelerate the international search for a cure for the fatal
disease.  Cetus said that company researchers are still
refining the DNA probe test, but that if studies on
individual blood samples progress well, the test may be
available for general laboratory use next year.  The company
is developing the technique as part of a collaborative
arrangement with Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N. Y., for the
development of diagnostic products.
   Abbott, a North Chicago, Ill., maker of health care and
medical products, told shareholders at its annual meeting
that the test it is developing would directly detect in
blood, saliva and other body fluids antigens of the HTLV-III
virus linked to AIDS. Antigens are substances that cause
antibodies to be produced, and the presence of antigens,
unlike anitibodies, would indicate the presence of the virus.
   "It's much more important to know if a patient has the
virus so that he can change his sexual practices," and stop
spreading the virus, said Alan Landay, a clinical
immunologist at Chicago's Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's
Medical Center who has done research on the new test.  He
added that the test might help doctors experimenting with new
treatments to determine whether they were successfully
attacking the virus.
   He emphasized, however, that more data are necessary
before all the implications of the new test are fully
understood.

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