GTG forms alliance with US MetaMorphix

Melbourne's Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTX, Nasdaq:GENE) has formed a strategic alliance with MetaMorphix, a developer of new genetic markers.

GTG and US-based MetaMorphix recently identified several overlapping interests and will now explore the joint commercialisation of these new opportunities, utilising the combined IP held by each company and by sharing testing labs in Melbourne and California.

According to GTG, immediate benefits of the alliance include the early introduction to Australia and New Zealand of MetaMorphix's new genetic tests for livestock and companion animals, including polling in cattle and the ability to genetically confirm a dog's breed.

Horn-polling markers allow cattle breeders to identify and breed-out cattle born with horns, a major cause of injury to other cattle, especially during transportation. By performing a simple genetic test on breeding stock, cattle breeders will soon be able to overcome this problem.

MetaMorphix has also developed specific DNA-based tests that can distinguish between 35 different purebred dog types. This will permit the breed of a dog to be confirmed genetically, if suspected of falling into a breed regulated by the authorities. GTG sees significant opportunity in launching programmes across Australia and New Zealand that will enable a dog's breed to be genetically confirmed at the time of registration. This list will soon be expanded to over 90 breeds of dogs.

In 2004, MetaMorphix took a license to GTG's non-coding patents and both companies have pursued the development of new technologies with applications in human health and diagnostics and also in animal genetics and genomics.