Chris Cowen, seasoned global commercial executive in Life Sciences, joins as Chief Commercial Officer to drive future growth and scale

ALAMEDA, Calif., Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Alveo Technologies, Inc. (Alveo), a leader in decentralized molecular diagnostics with its proprietary IntelliSense™ platform, today announced the launch of its first animal health diagnostic product, the Alveo Sense Avian Influenza Test. The Alveo Sense Avian Influenza Panel provides fast, precise results in the field with geotagged results and cloud-based analytics immediately accessible in the cloud.

The product is launching in partnership with Netherlands-based Royal GD, a leading organization in the field of animal health, monitoring, and improvement of animal health in livestock farming as well as UK-based x-OvO. The first shipments are now reaching early-access customers across the EU through established sales channels, with further expansion planned throughout the EMEA region.

With this launch, Alveo has positioned itself for rapid growth with a significant expansion beyond human health. To manage this growth, Alveo has hired Chris Cowen, formerly VP of Global Commercial Operations for the Genetic Sciences Division at Thermo Fisher Scientific, as Chief Commercial Officer. Chris will drive Alveo’s global sales, marketing, and distribution efforts. 

Revolutionizing Avian Influenza Detection: Faster, Safer, Smarter

Alveo’s decentralized molecular diagnostic test detects and differentiates between Avian Influenza Type A, H5 and H7 or H9. Previously, testing required shipping and transport of potentially hazardous samples to a central lab for processing and then waiting days, even weeks to receive a result, causing costly delays. The Alveo Sense Avian Influenza Test works on both cloacal and oropharyngeal samples to deliver precise results within 30-45 minutes. Using Alveo’s secure Alveo Vista™ portal, geotagged results are instantly uploaded to the cloud, giving public health authorities real-time insights into viral outbreaks, empowering rapid containment measures.

“Avian influenza has been devastating to the poultry industry, and producers, vets and authorities need a decentralized, fast and accurate test,” said Wim Kieftenbeld, Business Development at Royal GD.  “The Alveo Sense Avian Influenza Test fills that gap with the first rapid molecular test that can be used at the point of need.”

Addressing a Global Crisis with Cutting-Edge Technology

Since 2021, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has affected more than 103 million birds in the United States, alone, according to the USDA. The CDC reports that HPAI has been detected in at least 48 mammalian species, including domestic cattle. The spread to mammals is especially concerning to authorities, because the more species HPAI infects, the greater the chance the virus will mutate to spread efficiently among humans. The CDC reports 15 confirmed cases of HPAI in humans following exposure to infected cattle, but to date, the virus does not appear to be easily contracted by one person from another.

“x-OvO Limited has focused on the subject of avian RNA virus diagnostics for 17 years,” said Richard Currie, President of x-OvO. “Our decision to partner with Alveo to develop an avian influenza test was driven by the potential flexibility and adaptability of their platform. The ability to detect multiple targets using both cloacal and oropharyngeal samples covers more variation in notifiable disease targets than single reaction real-time PCR can achieve.”

By decentralizing testing, eliminating reliance on central labs, and uploading geotagged results to the cloud, the Alveo Sense Avian Influenza Test provides authorities with a real-time view of outbreaks via the Alveo Vista portal. This real-time view mitigates trade disruption due to concerns about importing infected poultry and reduces consumption used by lab-based PCR analyzers and packaging waste. Alveo’s tests can also determine whether vaccinated poultry are contagious, reducing risk from vaccinated birds that can harbor and spread the virus without displaying symptoms.

“Our platform can detect a wide range of pathogens with high precision, quickly at the point of need,” said Shaun Holt, CEO of Alveo Technologies. “The launch of this product and partnership with Royal GD and x-OvO represents a critical step toward advancing animal health and creating a future where portable, accurate, and accessible molecular testing becomes the standard across the agricultural sector.”

For more information on the Alveo Sense Avian Influenza Test visit: https://www.alveotechnologies.com/alveo-sense-poultry 

About Alveo  
Alveo is the first company to make molecular detection and diagnostics universally accessible – on the farm, in the field, in the clinic, or in the manufacturing plant – helping prevent or significantly limit the destructive impact of viruses, fungi, bacteria, and other pathogens by detecting earlier at the Point of Need™. Alveo’s portable, multiplex-capable diagnostic platform employs IntelliSense™, its patented method of direct electrical sensing of nucleic acid amplification to provide affordable, rapid, and accurate results. By enabling early pathogen detection, Alveo helps manage global health, food security, and supply chain resiliency by providing actionable insights at lightspeed. Know Sooner, Act Faster™ with Alveo. For more, visit:  https://www.alveotechnologies.com/alveo-sense-poultry 

Contact:
Jeff Miller 
jeff@marketstreetgrp.com
541-207-6413

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SOURCE Alveo Technologies