WHEAT RIDGE, Colo., Dec. 15, 2006 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- ApiGen (OTCBB:GTHA), the new company formed between GeneThera and Nutricion Avanzada in Monterrey, Mexico, is pleased to announce the beginning of a Marketing Trial in Mexico. The Marketing Trial will begin in the first quarter of 2007 with the testing of dairy cattle in Mexico for Johne's Disease. ApiGen estimates revenue for 2007 to be $8.8 million.
Commenting on the Marketing Trial, Dr. Tony Milici, CEO of GeneThera said, "This is the reason GeneThera formed ApiGen with Nutricion Avanzada. Their far reaching contacts within Mexico have allowed our new company to begin large-scale testing for Johne's and for us to be able to charge per each test during the Trial period will greatly enhance both companies' bottom line."
Sergio I. Gonzalez, partner in ApiGen said, "We are thrilled to be able to administer the Johne's test to 700,000 cows in our network. It is much needed in Mexico to begin the process to determine the extent of the Johne's problem, and then correct it with a vaccine."
Johne's Disease is a contagious, chronic and often fatal infection that affects mainly dairy cows. The disease, also called Paratuberculosis, has a worldwide distribution. Total loss in the U.S. alone from Johne's Disease is estimated to be $1.5 billion annually. Current diagnostic tests have a low degree of sensitivity and cannot diagnose the disease in early stages. Vaccines presently used to treat Johne's Disease are ineffective in eradicating the disease in infected animals.
Studies performed in several countries, including the U.S., have shown that live, viable Paratuberculosis bacteria are present in pasteurized milk sold in stores. These studies prove that the organism is most likely capable of surviving milk pasteurization. Several scientists believe that the Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis is the primary cause of Crohn's Disease.
While the commercialization of diagnostic tests will be a good boost for the Company's cash flow, the most exciting opportunity lies in the development of a vaccine that can potentially be licensed to a major pharmaceutical company for manufacture and distribution. Therapeutic vaccines will be developed using RNA interference technology to treat infected animals and return them to full productivity. It also allows for the efficient, effective, and continuous testing, management and treatment of animal populations. These facts distinguish the technology from any alternative testing and management methodology available to agriculture today -- all of which require the destruction of individual animals and even entire herds.
GeneThera is a company that has developed diagnostic tests to detect diseases that affect animals and humans worldwide. The ApiGen business model will be used as a blueprint to take this technology to the rest of the world.
ABOUT GENETHERA, INC.:
GeneThera, Inc. is a molecular biotechnology company located in Wheat Ridge, CO. The Company provides genetic diagnostic solutions for the veterinary and agricultural industries with future plans to include the health-care industry. The Company's proprietary diagnostic solution is based on a genetic expression assay, GEA, a protocol designed to function on a highly automated Fluorogenic PCR platform. This platform enables GeneThera to offer tests that are presently not available from other technologies. The GEA is designed for a host of individual diseases, the current priority being Mad Cow Disease, Chronic Wasting Disease, a disease affecting elk and deer in North America; E.Coli 0157:H7 and Johne's Disease, diseases affecting cattle worldwide. GeneThera is a 50% owner of ApiGen.
"Safe Harbor" Statement: Certain statements in this release are "forward-looking" statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary significantly from the results expressed or implied in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to meet the terms and conditions required to obtain its project financing, risks and delays associated with product development, risk of market acceptance of new products, risk of technology or product obsolescence, competitive risks, reliance on development partners and the need for additional capital.