Vejle, Denmark (MMD Newswire) May 12, 2009 -- The Danish Biotech Company, FCMB, has reached a breakthrough in risk-free prenatal diagnostic. For the first time a set of antibodies specifically recognizes fetal cells in maternal blood samples.

"We are now able to specifically select fetal cells from a pregnant woman's blood sample. Accessing fetal cells for subsequent genetic analysis without the need of invasive methods will lead to a paradigm shift in prenatal disease management. Our feasibility study which will be initiated this year, will clearly demonstrate the advantage of FCMB's cells based technology over current methods," says Andreas Eckelt, CEO of FCMB ApS.

It has been known for the past four decades that throughout pregnancy fetal cells pass the placenta and circulate in the maternal bloodstream. Collecting fetal cells from a maternal blood sample for subsequent molecular diagnostics is difficult because of a very limited number of cells in a blood sample. In order to distinguish the fetal cells from maternal blood cells, one needs to have a very specific marker. Due to the previously obtained cDNA expression pattern of fetal cells in maternal blood, FCMB now has been able to identify very specific markers.

The technology is anchored in professor Steen Koelvraa and his teams' 20 years of research experience within the area and combined with an in depth molecular and cell biology understanding

About the Company:
FCMB ApS, based in Vejle, Denmark, is a molecular diagnostics company that develops a system for prenatal genetic analysis. FCMB is committed to developing a new, no risk diagnostic method to assess genetic abnormalities, such as Down's syndrome. The team includes world-class scientists within the field of fetal cell research and experts in prenatal testing.

Contact information:
Andreas Eckelt
CEO, Managing Director
Phone: +45 61276927
Email: ae@fcmb.dk
Website: www.FCMB.dk

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