Applied Biosystems obtains thyroid mass spectrometry licence

Applied Biosystems has obtained the licence for a mass spectrometry test of thyroid activity, it has emerged.

The new test has been developed by Dr Steven Soldin of Georgetown University Medical Center under sponsorship from Applied Biosystems, the educational institution reveals.

By using tandem mass spectrometry, the researchers claim that the assessment of thyroid glandular activity can be made more accurate.

This is achieved by detecting levels of deactivated thyroxine that is bound to proteins, rather than using a mathematical model to determine how much of the protein remains active in the blood.

Meanwhile, the traditional immunoassay process "is so cheap and quick to use; but it provides a number that can be wrong almost half the time", Dr Soldin states.

The terms of the sponsorship mean Applied Biosystems becomes the licence-holder for the new test for commercial purposes.

Figures published by Applied Biosystems this week portray a seven per cent increase in net revenues for the fourth quarter of the 2007 financial year.