Sequenom shares jump nearly 22 pct on efficient Down syndrome test

The device can detect Down syndrome in the first three months of pregnancy using a sample of the mother's blood. On a test with 200 samples, Sequenom's device worked without giving false-positive results, the company reported.

Shares of Sequenom jumped 21.80 percent up at $9.33 in the Nasdaq trading on Wednesday.

The company said in a statement that current serum-testing options for the same purpose have detection rates of 70 to 90 percent with false-positive rates of as high as 5 percent. The San Diego-based group plans to continue development of the SEQureDX test through the end of the year.