MicroProbe Inc. of Bothell, Wash., said it has "been indiscussions with several companies" and is still looking for acorporate partner to help launch its periodontal disease test.

MicroProbe's DNA-probe test is being prepared for clinicaltrials, said Richard Shea, MicroProbe's vice president of salesand marketing. The test, which is designed for use in dentaloffices, detects the presence of several pathogens associatedwith periodontitis in 30 minutes.

Biotechnica International Inc.'s medical unit in Cambridge,Mass., introduced in 1987 a DNA-probe test to detect threeperidontal-associated bacteria for use in the laboratory.

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