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Anne-Charlotte will make the market discover Alertix

As head of marketing it is Anne-Charlotte Aronssons main responsibility to see to that Alertix’ products reach the market and make a difference. But for her, and her family’s, Flat-Coated Retriever Zeb it is too late.

– A couple of years have past since Zeb fell ill. He was diagnosed with cancer. But later it turned out that he, in fact, suffered from an infection caused by a tick bite. By then it was too late. The infection had spread to the brain. An Alertix TK1 assay would probably have saved Zeb’s life. By testing, cancer could have been ruled out and Zeb could have been put on antibiotics before it was too late, says Anne-Charlotte.

Anne-Charlotte is a Ph.D. in biochemistry and has a past in the field of clinical diagnostics. For several years she was employed by the Swedish pharmaceutical company Pharmacia.

– After Pharmacia I have been working with marketing and sales in several small and medium sized biotech companies like Sangtec Medical, which was owned by the Swedish media group Bonnier, and the Italian company DiaSorin.

The latest is AroCell – a Swedish company built on the same scientific basis as Alertix. AroCell develops and markets TK1 assays for human use. Anne-Charlotte was appointed CEO of AroCell in 2008, a position she held up to 2014.

Need for better methods

Since then she has been a consultant for Uppsala Innovation Centre and Umeå Biotech Incubator among other assignments. She has also been a board member of Uppsala Innovation Centre.

Now she is Chairman of the Board and Head of Marketing of Alertix.

– It is an incredibly exciting assignment. I strongly believe that there is a need for better methods to diagnose cancer in sports and companion animals. And I am convinced that the market will prove me right. Animals can’t tell how they feel or where it hurts. That is why better test methods are needed.

It is your job to make the market discover Alertix. Which are your best selling points?

– The most important is that the test is unique and fulfills a need that no other assay on the market can meet. The protein TK1 is the only known biomarker for measuring cell growth in blood. Our method is the only one that measures TK1 by means of a specific antibody. Because of this we are able to measure the presence of the enzyme instead of the enzymatic activity. That is why our test is able to detect all types of tumors. That is unique.

– It is also important that the test does not require any invasive actions. It is simple as well as cost-effective. The method is also robust. That makes it quite simple to submit them for analysis.

In what ways do you think Alertix test should be used in veterinary care?

– When you need a quick and simple answer to if there is reason to suspect that an animal has got some form of cancer. Today, it is increasingly common to treat pets for cancer, and cancer therapy is improving. That is hopeful. As a part of cancer treatment the test can also be an important tool for monitoring.

– In a few year’s time I hope and believe that this also will become a natural screening test for dogs over a certain age. That would lead to improved life quality and more years of life for many dogs. Today, we know that cancer is just as common, if not even more common, in dogs as in humans. Some breeds are especially exposed – like Flat-Coated Retriever. A relatively high percentage of this breed suffer an early death from cancer, says Anne-Charlotte Aronsson.

Alertix Canine

Assay for early detection, monitoring and screening of tumor diseases in dogs. The assay is available to veterinary clinics and laboratories in Sweden and Scandinavia.
Read more about Alertix Canine

Alertix Feline

Assay for early detection, monitoring and screening of tumor diseases in cats. The assay is under development.
Read more about Alertix Feline
Under development

Alertix Equine

Assay for early detection, monitoring and screening of tumor diseases in horses. The assay is under development.
Under development
Read more about Alertix Equine

About cancer in companion animals

Did you know that our companion animals are afflicted by cancer as often as humans? Dogs and cats share not only our living environment but also our lifestyle. Because of this they are exposed to the same risk factors for cancer. Veterinary care is getting better and better at treating cancer in companion animals. But the crucial factor of success is that the disease is detected in time.

Read more about cancer in companion animals