The HoTT-Horse Testing Tour project - is the culmination of successfully completed R & D activities in the generation of disruptive, patented and certified diagnostic kits under the projects QREN I & DT No18536, No38637, PT2020 PI 17196 and PT2020 ID & T 10991. With this demonstrator project we intend, for the first time, to enter the market and reach the long-awaited goal - the commercialisation of innovative diagnostic kits for the New Equine Virus (NEV). 

The global equestrian industry is a multibillion-dollar marketplace that encompasses many equestrian activities, such as the racing industry, sport and leisure horses. It is a niche market and very demanding.
Equigerminal in the scope of the projects mentioned above discovered the problem and the solutions presented in this project. Our solutions contemplate two diagnostic kits - 'first in class'- NEV-CHECK c-ELISA and molecular NEV-CHECK. These 2 diagnostic kits are complementary products for the diagnosis of the new Equine Virus (NEV), a virus similar to HIV-1. The first kit detects antibodies against NEV and the second kit detects the NEV itself.

During the years 2020/2021 HoTT will demonstrate and disseminate Equigerminal diagnostic kits in the European market (UK, Germany, France and Italy), the Middle East and Brazil, with the main objective of validating the kits in real environment and to create a network of laboratories validated for the diagnosis of NEV.

• disseminate the existence of NEV as a causative agent of fatal disease in equines, generating the need for its diagnosis;
• obtain validation by the target clients / laboratories of these kits and to create a network of partner laboratories;
• develop a pilot line for the manufacture of molecular NEV-CHECK;
• investigate the potential applicability of these new kits in other species.

 Main objectives:

• o evaluate potential cross–species transmission of the New Equine Virus (NEV);
• To develop an antiviral therapy for equine viruses.
• To validate a test kit – NEV-CHECK- to detect NEV.
• To develop a NEV-CHECK manufacturing pilot line.

 Main results:

• Knowledge about NEV tropism in other species.
• Generate data to support a PCT on antiviral therapies for Equine viruses.
• A validated product – NEV-CHECK c-ELISA able to detect NEV.
• Certified pilot line to manufacture NEV-CHECK c-ELISA.

 Project summary:

 Main objective:

• To submit international patent applications on NEV diagnostics and therapies.

 Main results:

•  In this project we concluded and surpassed the objectives proposed in the application, with two families of patents through the international PCT route, which resulted in 10 international patent processes in the national phases.