NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Genetic Technologies today said that it has acquired certain assets from Perlegen Sciences, which ceased operations late last year.
Australia's Genetic Technologies said that the primary asset it has obtained is Perlegen's BrevaGen breast cancer risk test. In addition, it said that it acquired a suite of granted patents valid to 2022 that augment and extend its current non-coding patent portfolio.
The BrevaGen test combines population risk factors based on the Gail Score with validated genetic risk factors, resulting in an integrated, personalized breast cancer risk assessment. Genetic Technologies said that it plans to launch the BrevaGen test first in the US and Australia in the second half of 2010, followed by a worldwide rollout.
Genetic Technologies estimated that the US market alone for breast cancer genetic testing is around $690 million per year.
"This is the first product in GTG's portfolio which has global reach and market potential," Genetic Technologies CEO Paul MacLeman said in a statement. "There is a clear unmet need and a substantial market opportunity."
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.