Disease hunters
Zoonotic diseases are those scary ones that we see on our daily news shows and then worry about whenever we sit down to eat.
Diseases transmissible between animals and humans, causing infection in both species: Mad Cow disease, Chronic Wasting disease, Johne ?s disease and E.coli. For example, Johne?s disease has been linked to human Crohn?s disease; Mad Cow disease to human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; and E.coli to hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Drinking milk (or baby formula) from cows infected with Johne?s disease is how people are exposed. Mycobacterium Paratubercolosis (MAP) infection in cows (often referred to as paratuberculosis infection) is thought to be the culprit.
80 percent of the patients with Crohn?s test positive for paratubercolosis (MAP) infection when examined by intestinal biopsy.
The partnership
GeneThera (OTC: GTHR) , the biotech half of the partnership, centers its R&D efforts around the zoonotic Johne ?s disease.
As GeneThera explains it: ?Diseases of terrestrial, avian and aquatic life animals influence a number of economic and global security issues; food for an increasing world population, access to international trade, species conservation and protection of those endangered, and economic growth in developing and re-organizing nations.?
Integrated Automated Robotic Systems (IARS) molecular diagnostic platform for animal testing of tuberculosis and paratuberculosis.
Hudson Robotics, the robotics half of the partnership, has made the application of leading-edge technology the basis for its service to customers who need to improve their operations through robotics and automation. ?Hudson specializes in integrating users? existing and new instruments into laboratory automation solutions.?
Together, the partnership announced its formal arrangement on March 4th. Saying, in part, that ?they have entered into a worldwide exclusive collaboration agreement to develop the next generation of Integrated Automated Robotic Systems (IARS) molecular diagnostic platform for animal testing of tuberculosis and paratuberculosis.
As part of the exclusive collaboration agreement, Hudson Robotics will receive a 10 percent equity ownership of GeneThera stock.
Dr. Tony Milici, CEO of GeneThera, stated, “This collaboration agreement with Hudson Robotics, a world leading designer of Integrated Automation Robotic Systems, is a fundamental turning point for GeneThera. Hudson Robotics’ and GeneThera’s molecular diagnostic and robotic platform is the most advanced system designed to date for animal diagnostics.?
Phil Farrelly, president of Hudson Robotics, commented, “It is with great enthusiasm that we have entered into this exclusive collaboration agreement with GeneThera. GeneThera’s animal molecular testing platform is a perfect fit for our integrated robotic technology.
?We believe that our close association with GeneThera’s laboratory operations will further improve our ability to design and develop even more advanced integrated automation systems.”
Johne’s Disease
Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent also known as paratuberculosis.
Johne’s disease (JD) is a globally devastating incurable chronic inflammatory intestinal disease of dairy cow, sheep and goats.
It has been estimated that over 70 percent of the dairy cowherd in the US alone are infected with MAP. A large number of studies have shown a relation between JD and Crohn’s disease, a severe and possibly lethal chronic inflammatory disease of the human intestine.
MAP is resistant to standard pasteurization procedures.
