WESTMINSTER, Colo., Sept. 29, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GeneThera, Inc. (OTC: GTHR) as a service to its shareholders and the general public is pleased to release comments on the first Symposium on Mycobacterium Avium Paratuberculosis (MAP) and Crohn's disease, which was held on August 15 in Deerfield (IL). The Symposium entitled Game Changing Concepts in Crohn's Medicine was the first one ever held where scientists, physicians, Crohn's patients, family members and patient advocates gathered to discuss the link between MAP and Crohn's disease. Keynote Speakers were Dr. William Chamberlin, Las Cruces, NM; John Aiken, Laboratory Scientist from New Zealand; Dr. Amy Hermon-Taylor, a Family Physician from London, UK and daughter of Prof. John Hermon-Taylor, who pioneered the field of MAP and Crohn's Disease; Patrick McLean, Product Manager of RedHill Pharma (NASDAQ: RDHL), an Israel-based biopharmaceutical company; and Dr. Michael Collins, Professor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Proceedings of the Symposium are available at www.thecrohnsinfection.org
Dr. Hermon-Taylor spoke about the development of MAP detection assay in the blood of Crohn's patients and preliminary results of therapeutic Crohn's vaccine targeting MAP. Patrick MacLean reported on RedHill on the multi antibiotic treatment RHB 104, targeting Crohn's and Multiple Sclerosis patients, currently in Phase III clinical trial. Of particular interest was Dr. Collins presentation, which focused on ways to prevent Crohn's disease. During his presentation Dr. Collins stated, "The product of greatest concern, in my estimation, is infant formula. Epidemiological suggests that, in humans, the longer a woman breastfeeds her baby, the lower the likelihood the baby might develop Crohn's disease. ...In a very recent study…, in cooperation with a researcher in Belfast, we tested over 60 products from around the world, finding 40 percent of them positive for live MAP bacteria. In the subset of samples that came from the U.S., the number was 56 percent. And again, these products are being imported. They're made from powdered products that originated from all over the world. So, I'm very concerned that we may be exposing the most susceptible human being, the newborn infant, through contaminated infant formula products."
Dr. Tony Milici, CEO of GeneThera, who attended the International Symposium stated, "I do believe that the First International Symposium on MAP and Crohn's disease represents a major milestone in this field of research. This meeting sends a clear message to those in the medical field, pharma, food and dairy industry, who stubbornly deny the link between MAP, Crohn's disease, and possibly other pathologies that this field of research is clearly building momentum and has a strong grass root support from Crohn's patients and their families. It is appalling that veterinarians, farmers, dairy industry, infant formula manufacturers, the USDA, and FDA allows meat, dairy products, and infant formula not to be tested for MAP before being sold to the public. The fact that the medical establishment, despite mounting evidence, denies that MAP is a human (zoonotic) pathogen, creates a situation that gives no obligation to the food industry or anybody else to prevent MAP to go into the food supply."
MAP is the causative agent of Johne's disease also known as Paratuberculosis. Johne's Disease (JD) is a globally devastating incurable chronic inflammatory intestinal disease of dairy cows, sheep and goats. It has been estimated that over 70% of the dairy cowherd in the US alone are infected with MAP. A large number of studies have shown a relationship between JD and Crohn's disease, a severe and possibly lethal chronic inflammatory disease of the human intestine. Scientific studies have found that 80% of patients with Crohn's are positive for MAP in their intestine. Drinking milk from cows infected with MAP is one of the ways people are exposed to MAP infection. MAP is resistant to standard pasteurization procedures. Several studies have shown that MAP contamination is present in pasteurized milk and other dairy products sold in stores.
The risk that MAP contamination of milk and dairy products poses to the general population, particularly children and young adults, can no longer be underestimated. Dairies and baby formula producers need to implement large scale testing programs to control MAP contamination in milk and certify that MAP-free milk is used for baby food production.
High-throughput testing to detect MAP contamination in milk presents many technical challenges. Because of the complexity and time-consuming procedures of isolating MAP from dairy samples, most laboratories do not have the technical capability to screen thousands of samples daily.
GeneThera has spent several years developing state-of-the-art technology, to test milk products using advanced integrated laboratory robotic platforms that allow the detection of Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis in a highly sensitive and fast way. A single integrated robotic system is capable of processing over two thousand samples daily with minimum human intervention. This automated platform provides GeneThera with a standardized system that can be serially duplicated, readily deployed, and supported across the globe to meet the growing needs of the worldwide dairy industry. By standardizing on a flexible, easy to use robotic platform, GeneThera will be able to meet its goals of building a global network of labs that will test and communicate results to food producers in real time, improving animal health and food safety.
About GeneThera, Inc.
GeneThera, Inc. is a molecular biotechnology company located in Westminster, Colorado. The Company's proprietary diagnostic solution is based on a genetic expression assay, GES and Johne's disease management system, HERDCHECK™, 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 GES and HERDCHECK™ systems are designed for a host of individual diseases, the current priority being Johne's disease. For more information concerning GeneThera's technology, contact Dr. Tony Milici at 720-439-3011. http://www.genethera.net
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