Optigen is now doing Ataxia testing in the USA. This will be more convenient for some, but look a the price! I for one will be dealing directly with Antagene.

www.optigen.com/index.html

Peggy ... I don't see a price
help me. please

thanks Reese ... see what happens when you operate with half a screen

It is also posted on another board that Optigen is not actually doing the test, you're basically paying $50 extra dollars to send your tests to Optigen who will then send the tests to Antagene to actually be run. Sounds pretty stupid to me.

yeah it seems kind of silly since I only paid $121 to get the tests done in France. I can pay one office visit to the vet and get them all swabbed.

It cost more to get it done this way it seems.

I posted this on the other boards, too.

My advice is to order tests quickly from Antagene while you can. It is likely that OptiGene will be given the exclusive ability to send the US test kits to Antagene through your vet. A veterinarian typically marks up lab tests by 2.5% over what the lab charges the vet. It is probable that we will soon only be able to get our dogs tested through OptiGene, so the price could increase considerably.

Antagene sent a release to US veterinarians about OptiGene, telling them that if they have a client who needs an ataxia test, that they then need to contact OptiGene. The neurologist at the practice in my area did not know it was even possible for an individual to send tests directly to Antagene. If he had had a client who wanted the ataxia test, he would have gone directly to OptiGene. The client would have no choice.

So order those test kits! I am not sure if they will stop taking the kits that they have already sent out, so I am ordering more even though I do not need any at the moment.

The reason they are doing this is obviously to make money. Drug companies and labs develop these things to make a profit, after all. If OptiGene charges the vet $150, Antagene has probably charged OptiGene a small percentage of that for the test kits and exclusive rights to the test in the US.

Jean

US people must now go thru optigen. If you fill out the forms online there are discounts of up to 25% for submitting more than one and submitting online gives you an automatic 5%.
You can request email notification along with the forms so that is a nice additive.

yes, you must now go thru Optigen even if you ordered your tests from Antagene BEFORE the partnering!