FDA gives approval to Abbott birth defect, cancer test

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given its approval to Libertyville Township-based Abbott Laboratories Architect AFP test, which may help doctors detect serious birth defects and the progression of testicular cancer.

Biomarkers, such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), are substances in the body that physicians can measure to identify the progress of diseases or conditions as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments. AFP has unique traits that help doctors detect two very different health issues: fetal birth defects and the progression of testicular cancer, Abbott said in a release.

“The Architect AFP assay is a valuable tool that will help physicians obtain reliable measurements of this protein for use in guiding critical patient treatment decisions,” said Brian Blaser, executive vice president, of Diagnostics Products at Abbott. “Abbott is pleased to offer this important assay to our customers to positively affect patient care.”