Transgenomic has licensed intellectual property from Integragen to develop a genetic test designed to assess the risk of autism in children who have older siblings with autistic spectrum disorders.
Under the exclusive US agreement, Transgenomic will develop the test in the company's CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified laboratory and anticipates launching the test in the second quarter of 2010.
The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Craig Tuttle, president and chief executive officer of Transgenomic, said: 'We are pleased to have the opportunity to develop and offer a genetic test to clinicians and parents that will assist in the evaluation of children who are thought to be at high risk of being autistic.
'We believe that the use of this test in conjunction with standard diagnostic tools will allow for the earlier diagnosis of autism and, importantly, the more timely initiation of treatment plans for these children,' he added.
Autism is a developmental disorder that causes significant social, communication and behavioural challenges in children.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 110 children in the US have an autism-related disorder and that the incidence of autism is up 57 per cent from 2002 to 2006.
Even though parents typically express concerns about their child's developmental progress before the age of three, the average age of diagnoses is not until 53 months.
Early intervention has been shown to be effective in improving a child's ability to develop into a competent adult.
A child with a sibling who has been diagnosed with autism is at a significantly greater risk of developing the disorder.
'We will continue our gene-discovery efforts to further our understanding of autism while focusing on other diseases where molecular tests may help with patient diagnosis and disease management,' said Dr Bernard Courtieu, chief executive officer of Integragen.
