Collaborative Research Inc. announced that it is offering anadvanced cystic fibrosis testing service.

The service will use a test developed by the company thatdetects concurrently the 10 most common mutations for cysticfibrosis.

The process allows for a detection rate of more than 90percent of cystic fibrosis carriers of Northern Europeanancestry, according to the Bedford, Mass., company(NASDAQ:CRIC). Competing tests detect a maximum of fivemutations, yielding a detection rate of 80 percent, said OrrieFriedman, chairman and chief executive officer.

"There are 10 million to 15 million cystic fibrosis carriers inthe U.S.," Friedman said. "There should be a very large marketfor a test with a detection rate over 80 percent."

The service will be offered through Collaborative's DiagnosticServices Division at a cost of $233 per test. -- Steve Usdin

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