Free PSA Test Awarded US Patent

ABBOTT PARK, Ill--Abbott Laboratories and the Finnish-based companyWallac Oy, a subsidiary of EG&G Inc. (Wellesley, Mass), havereceived a US patent for two methods of assaying free PSA (prostate-specificantigen).

The patent was issued to two inventors, Dr. Ulf-Hakan Stenman,of Helsinki University Central Hospital, and Dr. Hans Lilja, ofLund University.

The inventors gave exclusive rights to Wallac, which subsequentlygranted a sublicense to Abbott. The patent covers immmunoassaysfor free PSA and the use of the ratio of free-to-total PSA tobetter distinguish between prostate cancer and benign prostatichyperplasia (BPH).