Timeline: The Hypoallergenic Cat

The Hypoallergenic Cat: A Timeline Feb. 4, 2004 The beginnings of the allergy-free cat. Simon Brodie and David Avner agree on a business plan for using RNAi to knock out the gene for the major cat allergen fel d 1. Sept. 24, 2004 Brodie and Avner agree to form a company called Allerca. Oct. 12, 2004 Brodie backs out of his partnership with Avner. Oct. 26, 2004 Brodie incorporates Allerca without Avner. Oct. 28, 200

Written byKerry Grens

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The Hypoallergenic Cat: A Timeline

Feb. 4, 2004

The beginnings of the allergy-free cat. Simon Brodie and David Avner agree on a business plan for using RNAi to knock out the gene for the major cat allergen fel d 1.

Sept. 24, 2004

Brodie and Avner agree to form a company called Allerca.

Oct. 12, 2004

Brodie backs out of his partnership with Avner.

Oct. 26, 2004

Brodie incorporates Allerca without Avner.

Oct. 28, 2004

Brodie sends out press releases promising hypoallergenic cats based on RNAi by 2007. "For the first time, people who have been unable to own a cat because of their allergies will be able to have a pet of their own without the associated risks and costs of allergy treatments."

Dec. 14, 2004

Avner sues Brodie for stealing and publicizing his trade secrets, soliciting his customers, and usurping investors, "because it appears, from the public's perspective, that [Allerca has] already 'cornered the market' on this new technology."

Jan. 31, 2005

U.S. District court in Colorado orders an injunction on Allerca "not to reenter the market for genetically engineered allergen-free cats until after 5/31/06."

Jan. 31, 2005

The Scientist publishes "Doubts About Allergy-Free Cats."

Spring 2005

Allerca scientists begin screening cats randomly across the country and in the United Kingdom to try out a fel d 1 genetic test with the intention of developing fel d 1 knockout cats.

Fall 2005

Allerca scientists stumble upon cats with a mutant fel d 1 that renders them hypoallergenic; they determine that the trait is dominant and begin breeding (cat gestation takes 57-69 days; cats reach maturity in 6-10 months).

Spring 2006

Second generation of hypoallergenic cats is born.

May-July 2006

Hired by Allerca, Microbac conducts genetic analysis on samples of hypoallergenic cats and concludes Allerca's cats have mutations not seen in control cats.

May 31, 2006

Injunction is lifted, allowing Allerca to pursue development of allergy-free cats.

June 7, 2006

Allerca announces it has bred hypoallergenic cats and begins accepting deposits.

Sept. 14 2006

In a press release Allerca announces success in independent clinical trials. "This observation exposure shows the Allerca cat has hypoallergenicity."

Fall 2006

Third generation of hypoallergenic cats is born.

Spring 2007

Allerca's scheduled delivery of hypoallergenic cats to customers.

Meet the Author

Kerry Grens

Kerry served as The Scientist’s news director until 2021. Before joining The Scientist in 2013, she was a stringer for Reuters Health, the senior health and science reporter at WHYY in Philadelphia, and the health and science reporter at New Hampshire Public Radio. Kerry got her start in journalism as a AAAS Mass Media fellow at KUNC in Colorado. She has a master’s in biological sciences from Stanford University and a biology degree from Loyola University Chicago.

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