Animal Health News & Notes for March 26, 2010

printer friendly version

************************************
Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for March 26, 2010
Copyright © Brakke Consulting, Inc.
 
Editor: Lynn Fondon, DVM, MBA
************************************
IN THE NEWS:
 
Brakke news
Pain Management Products report – last week for discount
 
other news
AquaAnimal Health
Elanco
Intervet/Schering-Plough
JBS SA
Merial
MetaMorphix
Morphogenesis
Novartis
Pet DRx
Premier Pet Products
Radio Systems Corp
Rockdale Beef Partnership
Smiths Medical
Stirius
Unimed-Midwest
 
************************************
BRAKKE CONSULTING, INC.
LAST WEEK FOR EARLY ORDER DISCOUNT!
2010 PAIN MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS REPORT
 
Pain management is one of the leading topics in veterinary medicine today.  The products represent a substantial market segment with potential still to be tapped. 
 
Brakke Consulting’s annual report on Pain Management Products for Dogs and Cats includes such valuable information as:
  – overview of acute and chronic pain in small animals
  – review of current products
  – estimates of US sales and prices of leading products
  – pain management products in development
  – review of nutritional supplements used for chronic pain
  – review of therapeutic diets for joint care
  – 2010 survey of an estimated 200 small animal veterinarians regarding use of pain management products
 
Pain Management Products for Dogs and Cats 2010 can be purchased for $4,995 if ordered by April 2, 2010.  The report will be completed in April.  Questions about the study can be answered by project manager Lynn Fondon, DVM, MBA at 972-243-4033, or email Lfondon@brakkeconsulting.com
 
www.BrakkeConsulting.com
 
************************************
COMPANY NEWS RELEASES
 
> Eli Lilly & Co’s Chief Executive Officer said in an interview that the company is interested in animal health assets that may be offered for sale as a result of the planned joint venture between Merial and Intervet/Schering-Plough. The company is looking to expand its animal health unit Elanco, which recently acquired European rights to a portfolio of Pfizer Inc. products. (Bloomberg)
 
> Morphogenesis and Novartis Animal Health announced an exclusive worldwide co-development and commercialization agreement to develop Morphogenesis’ investigational immunotherapy treatment for cancer. The agreement gives Novartis exclusive rights to Morphogenesis’ proprietary canine and feline cancer cell lines as well as its patented cancer vaccine technology. Under the agreement, Morphogenesis will earn milestone payments and royalties as each vaccine is developed and commercialized. (Business Wire) 
 
> Unimed-Midwest announced the introduction of PetFlex No Chew! and PetFlex AFD No Chew! veterinary cohesive bandages. PetFlex No Chew! cohesive bandage is a high quality wrap infused with bitterants that deter animals from chewing. PetFlex AFD No Chew! combines the same cohesive bandage used in PetFlex No Chew! with a patented absorbent foam dressing which absorbs approximately 10 times its weight in fluid. (i-newswire.com)
 
> Smiths Medical announced the launch of its SurgiVet brand of MR Conditional anesthesia machines, vaporizers, ventilators and accessories to be used with animals of all sizes in MR Environments.  The SurgiVet line of MR Conditional Products offers a complete small animal anesthesia system for the MRI suite. (company press release) 
 
> MetaMorphix, Inc. (MMI) and Stirius, Inc. announced that they have formed AquaAnimal Health, Inc. to develop aquaculture technologies to enhance production profitability and advance disease resistance. MMI has granted AquaAnimal Health a license to its proprietary Myostatin technology and an option to its GENIUS Whole Genome System for use in aquaculture. The financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed. (Citybizlist Baltimore)
 
> Pet DRx Corporation announced that it has received a letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market indicating that the Company is not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement for continued listing. The Minimum Bid Price Rule requires that the bid price of the Company’s common stock remain above $1.00 for continued inclusion in The NASDAQ Capital Market. (Globe Newswire)
 
> Radio Systems Corporation, makers of the PetSafe, SportDOG and Invisible Fence brands, announced it has acquired Premier Pet Products. The company will continue to operate in Virginia as an independent, wholly owned division of Radio Systems. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Pet Business)
 
> AUSTRALIA   JBS SA announced an agreement in which it will acquire Rockdale Beef Partnership, which operates an integrated network that includes approximately 5,000 acres in New South Wales, Australia, as well as a cattle feedlot with a capacity to feed 50,000 head and a beef processing plant with a capacity to run 200,000 head per year.  The acquisition will be made through JBS’ Australian business, Swift Australia. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Feedstuffs) 
 
***********************************
ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS
 
> US – NEW VETERINARY SPECIALTIES   The public comment period is open for two new veterinary specialties currently being considered by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The AVMA American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) is being petitioned to recognize the American College of Animal Welfare. In addition, the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists has petitioned the ABVS to recognize a new parasitology specialty. (Cattle Network)
 
> US – SWINE BEHAVIOR RESEARCH   Scientists with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have found that young female pigs that have the amino acid tryptophan regularly added to their diet makes them less aggressive and easier to manage. Pigs receiving a high-tryptophan diet showed less aggression: fewer attacked the intruder pigs added to test aggression. Furthermore, those that did attack were slower to do so compared with the animals that didn’t get the supplement. (AVMA SmartBrief)
 
*******************************************************************
Animal Agriculture Alliance
9th Annual Stakeholders Summit
April 28-29, 2010
 
The Animal Agriculture Alliance’s Ninth Annual Stakeholders Summit will be held on April 28 – 29 in Arlington, Virginia.  This year’s topic is “Truth, Lies and Videotape: Is Activism Jeopardizing our Food Security?”  Learn about tactics that activists are using against America’s food producers, including legislation, lawsuits and manipulation of the media.
 
For more information or to register for the event, go to www.animalagalliance.org.
 
************************************
BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT
 
No doubt this weekend many of you in the US will be tuned into the NCAA college basketball tournament. So far, it has been a fascinating tournament, with many unheralded teams beating favorites. 
 
Alas, “March Madness” isn’t the only place where a scorecard is helpful. The animal health industry’s rankings are undergoing quite a rearranging these days. Pfizer expanded its portfolio when it acquired Wyeth¹s Fort Dodge. Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Elanco Animal Health and Virbac SA all added to their product offerings by acquiring Fort Dodge assets that Pfizer didn’t keep. Two weeks ago Merial and Intervet/Schering Plough announced that they would merge, creating the first $5 billion animal health company. Yesterday, John Lechleiter, CEO of Elanco’s parent company Eli Lilly & Co., went on record expressing an interest in acquiring any assets that Merial or Intervet/Schering Plough might divest. I’m sure Lilly will be bidding against many others. With all these brands changing hands, product managers will need GPS to find their way to work!
 
The Dallas social season kicks off in style this weekend with the wedding of Dr. Rachel Brakke and Dr. Matt Holman. All of us at Brakke Consulting offer a heartfelt congratulations to Rachel and Matt, and to Rachel’s deservedly proud parents, Ron and Becky.
 
We hope all of you have a wonderful weekend as well.
 
John Volk, Chicago
 
************************************
This electronic newsletter is the sole property of Brakke Consulting, Inc.
Any use of the contents herein should be approved by and appropriately attributed to Brakke Consulting, Inc.
For more information about Brakke Consulting’s services and syndicated studies, visit our website at www.brakkeconsulting.com.
 
Brakke Consulting, Inc.
2735 Villa Creek, Suite 140
Dallas, TX  75234    USA