Animal Health News & Notes for September 10, 1999

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Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for September 10, 1999

 Advanced Monitors Corp. announced that it has completed a clinical study using its Vet-Temp(TM) VT-100 Instant Animal Ear Thermometer. The Vet-Temp(TM) is designed to measure core body temperature in just one second, and works on all species of dogs and cats, regardless of size.
 The Iams Co has begun offering home delivery of pet food over the Internet.  The service is currently only offered to its North American customers.  Orders currently must be placed using an “800” number to order after browsing the menu online, but online ordering could be available in 2000.
 Embrex, Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica, North Carolina State U. and the Wm. R Kenan Institute have entered into a renewable vaccine research collaboration based on Embrex’s viral neutralizing factor (VNF) technology.  The goal is to develop VNF-based vaccines for animal species other than poultry.
 Genus plc has agreed to acquire ABS Global from Protein Genetics Inc. Genus currently has a 60% share of the dairy and beef semen sales in the UK. Together, Genus and ABS will have a turnover of over $120 million in the worldwide cattle genetics industry.  Marc van’t Noordende, currently the CEO and President of ABS, will become President of the global cattle breeding operations.
 Myriad Genetics and Novartis Agricultural Institute (NADII) signed a $33.5 million genomics partnership in cereal crop genomics. Upon completion, NADII and Myriad will jointly offer commercial access to the genomic databases and share equally in any resulting proceeds.
 Bayer of Germany and Ranbaxy Laboratories have signed an agreement giving the former company exclusive development and world marketing rights to an oral once daily formulation of ciprofloxacin originally developed by Ranbaxy. Cipro-R is one of the world’s leading antibiotics.
 UK: Wales – The National Assembly will follow a “coordinated UK approach” to lifting the ban of beef on the bone.  Each of the farm ministers for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales agreed to the new joint approach at a meeting on Wednesday.  The joint approach does not mean there will be any immediate lifting of the ban.
 BioNet Technologies, Inc. announced the grand opening of its Animal911.com Shopping Mall and “The Flea Market” will occur on October 1, 1999.  The Animal911.com Shopping Mall stores will feature products and services for pets, pet owners, pet lovers, and veterinarians.
 Zero-G Commerce Corporation, the owner and operator of a growing portfolio of e-commerce services announced Wednesday the launch of its latest Internet-based superstore, GoodPets.com ™ at http://www.goodpets.com.
 Texas A&M researchers successfully cloned what is believed to be the first calf cloned from a 21 year old Brahman bull, the oldest animal ever cloned. The team will be watching closely for signs of premature aging after scientists reported that Dolly, the first cloned sheep, had some characteristics of the older cells used to generate her.
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The Brakke Consulting Viewpoint

New technology continues to make the headlines for the week.  Several are interesting, however, there appears to be limited commercial value and some may well be years from the market place.  The IAMS home delivery Internet based system is interesting and demonstrates another method of reaching the consumer.  Some of the most often asked questions by our clients in 1999 have been, “Should we be in e-commerce?”  If yes, “How?”. 

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