"If BOCX doesn't give Abbot an exclusive, could they (Abbot) just say "screw it, we're going to bury you" and then return the license."
"Thoughts?"
Here's a thought, please explain how that makes any sense at all?
Abbott has an opportunity to market a revolutionary cancer marker that would reap untold billions, and you think they would shoot themselves in the foot, invite competitors to license the technology after they already have a licensing deal in place?
What kind of logic are you following?