COLT Technologies Acquires Worldwide Licensing Rights to a New Technology Designed to Rapidly Diagnose 'Mad Cow Disease' -BSE-.

SALT LAKE CITY -- COLT Technologies(TM), a Salt Lake City-based developer of new agricultural technologies, today announced it has acquired the exclusive worldwide licensing rights to a new technology that may quickly and inexpensively identify bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as BSE or mad cow disease.

COLT Technologies has entered into a relationship with Zurich Holding Co., led by Chairman Michael E. Stamm, who joined Zurich's board of managing directors in 1983.

Under terms of the technology licensing agreement with Zurich, COLT Technologies will obtain exclusive worldwide licensing rights for the core-patented technology upon Zurich's successful completion of research, development and appropriate testing. COLT Technologies has also agreed to sponsor the research and development of the testing equipment.

"Although multiple techniques for diagnosing BSE in cattle exist, current procedures take anywhere from a few days to several hours and cost over a thousand dollars per test to diagnose the chronic degenerative disorder," said Tali Haleua, chief executive officer of COLT Technologies. "Stamm and Zurich's invention will speed the process up dramatically -- making diagnosis possible in a matter of seconds, and at a fraction of the current cost."

The concept for the invention, based on Stamm's expertise in microwave frequency identification, will use microwave spectroscopy (a spin-off technology used in NASA's late Apollo space program) to identify malignant cells and, in turn, may make it possible for widespread economic screening of all livestock, dead or alive.

"The technology could also be adapted to identify other known diseases such as avian influenza (bird flu), and porcina (swine flu), both of which are transmittable to humans," said Stamm.

In 1976, the United States Patent Office granted Stamm a patent based on intellectual property regarding the creation of products that use microwave spectral identification of cells.

"Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on testing for BSE in cattle every year," said Stamm. "We plan to make it easier, faster and less expensive for the livestock industry to protect its meat from this disease by combining improved techniques of my patent with several new trade secrets."

Stamm holds a doctorate in theoretical physics from the University of Munich and is an expert in microwave frequency identification. In the past, Stamm worked as a member of the U.S. Republican Senatorial Finance Committee and was employed by NASA/JSC, as Stamm assisted with preparations for Apollos XV and XVI. In 1982, President Ronald Regan awarded Stamm the Presidential Medal of Merit for his contributions on the Presidential Task Force for Energy and National Security.

"This invention will revolutionize the livestock industry worldwide, and will render all other detection methods obsolete," said Haleua. "With BSE at the forefront of concern, it's our commitment to accelerate the development time to have a working manufacture-ready proto-type within six to nine months and market ready within a year. We're very optimistic because of successful 'proof of concept' tests that were conducted in 2004 by a major Swiss university, and a European government-funded physics laboratory."

BSE is a degenerative and slowly progressing disease that affects the central nervous system in cattle. Although the cause is unknown, the effects are fatal. Experts believe that eating beef products from BSE-affected cattle can cause a human variant of Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (a disease similar to BSE).

About COLT Technologies

Formed in 2003, COLT Technologies, LLC is a privately funded Salt Lake City-based developer and manufacturer of agricultural technologies. The company focuses on the application of wireless technologies to lower production costs, increase profits and improve product safety in the livestock industry.

COLT Technologies' flagship product, the TekVet System(TM), is a wireless animal health system that constantly monitors core body temperatures in large feeder animals. For more information on the company or the TekVet System, visit www.tekvet.com or call 801-365-2222.

COLT Technologies and TekVet System are each trademarks of COLT Technologies, LLC.