Safer prenatal Down's syndrome test found in U.S.

Quake said the new test could be widely available in two or three years, and could become a routine prenatal test of a baby's health. Quake said the next step is a larger study involving hundreds of women.

Stanford University has filed a patent on the test and two companies are negotiating for the licensing rights, Quake said. He said he is has been hired as a consultant for both companies, which he declined to identify.

San Diego-based Sequenom Inc (SQNM.O) is also working on a Down's syndrome blood test using a different approach. (Editing by Maggie Fox and Eric Walsh)