Sequenom's noninvasive prenatal test finds signs of cancer in 40 women

Sequenom's Dirk van den Boom

Sequenom ($SQNM) largely depends on its noninvasive prenatal diagnostic to drive growth, and the company recently unveiled new results which show that its MaterniT21 test can detect signs of cancer in pregnant women--a potential game-changer as Sequenom looks to expand its market reach. The San Diego, CA-based company said the test, which uses a maternal blood sample to screen for fetal abnormalities, found abnormal changes in 40 women and yielded accurate results in 26 cases. Sequenom is still gathering data and is not aware of any false positives, COO Dirk van den Boom told Reuters. But the company is also weighing the ethical implications of the test, deciding whether to tell women before they are screened that MaterniT21 could identify cancer. Story | More