Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1998. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PR Newswire; Monday, February 2, 1998
CDC holds patents in this area, as investigators at CDC were the first to identify Bartonella henselae as the causative agent of Cat Scratch Disease. Heska's license, which covers not only use of the bacterium but also of portions of the bacterium, will convert to a non-exclusive license at the conclusion of the exclusive term.
Cat Scratch Disease can cause skin inflammation, mild fever and swollen lymph nodes in healthy people following infection. In immunocompromised people, such as the very young, older people or HIV-positive individuals, Cat Scratch Disease may result in a life-threatening but curable infection. Due to the potential severity of this disease, doctors may recommend to at-risk individuals that cats be removed from the household. The Company believes that over 22,000 cases of Cat Scratch Disease in humans are reported each year.
Dr. Robert Grieve, Heska's chief scientific officer said, "Cat Scratch Disease can be a serious disease in humans and annually results in more hospitalizations than some more well known infectious diseases, such as Lyme disease. We have been working closely with scientists at CDC to develop a vaccine that is intended to prevent cats from harboring the bacteria in their blood. Our goal is to limit the potential for transmission of the bacteria from cats to humans. This is a good example of Heska's efforts to develop products that will secure the relationship between owners and their valued companion animal family members."
Heska discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets companion animal health products, primarily for dogs, cats and horses. Heska has a large and sophisticated scientific effort devoted to applying biotechnology to the large and growing companion animal health market. Heska also offers diagnostic laboratory products in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan to veterinarians and operates USDA-and FDA-licensed facilities which manufacture vaccine, pharmaceutical, and allergy immunotherapy products. For additional information on Heska and its products, visit the Company's Web site at http://www.heska.com.
With the exception of historical matters, this press release contains forward-looking information about Heska's products and markets. Such forward- looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Heska to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Heska's achievement of these results may be affected by many factors, including among others, the following: delays in market acceptance; delays in future product development; failure to receive or delays in receiving regulatory approvals; lack of enforceability of patents and proprietary rights; quality of management; competition; changes in business strategy or development plans; inability to manufacture product at currently projected costs and the risks set forth in Heska's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Heska Corporation
CONTACT: Bill Skolout, Chief Financial Officer, or Carol Verser, Vice President, Intellectual Property, 970-493-7272, both of Heska Corporation Web Site: http://www.heska.com
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