Animal Health News & Notes for March 23, 2012

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Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for March 23, 2012
Copyright © Brakke Consulting, Inc.
 
Editor: Lynn Fondon
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IN THE NEWS:
 
Brakke news
Pain Management study
 
earnings news
Genus
 
other news
Ceva (Parnell)
Ceva (ProBioGen)
CritiTech
Elsevier
Embrace Pet Insurance
Integra
Mechanical Systems
Merck
Merritt Veterinary Supply
MinXray
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals
Parnell
PCI Animal Health
ProBioGen
Veterinary Distributors Group
Vetstream
Virbac
 
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BRAKKE CONSULTING, INC.
COMING IN APRIL:
2012 PAIN MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS REPORT
LAST WEEK TO RECEIVE EARLY-ORDER DISCOUNT
 
Pain management is one of the leading topics in veterinary medicine today.  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
  – 2012 survey of 200 small animal veterinarians regarding use of pain management products
 
Pain Management Products for Dogs and Cats 2012 can be purchased for $4,995 if ordered by March 30, 2012.  The report will be completed in early 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
 
 
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COMPANY EARNINGS RELEASES
 
> Genus reported results from the first half of its 2012 fiscal year. The company  reported pre-tax profit of GBP 23.3 million ($36.6 million) on sales of GBP 167 million in the six months ended December 31, 2011, compared to GBP 19.1 million and GBP 153 million in the first half of the previous year, respective increases of 22% and 9%. (Animal Pharm)
 
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COMPANY NEWS RELEASES
 
> Virbac Animal Health and NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Inc. have signed a feasibility and option agreement for the development and potential commercialization of Novabay’s aganocides for a number of veterinary uses. Virbac would have the option to license exclusive worldwide rights to market aganocides for one or more of these indications. NovaBay is developing its first-in-class, non-antibiotic, anti-infective aganocide compounds for the topical treatment and prevention of a wide variety of bacterial, viral and fungal infections. (RTTNews)
 
> Ceva Sante Animale announced it has strengthened its business in Australia through the acquisition of a number of products (AquaFOL; Imidox; Ketamine; KEY; Methone and Pamlin) from Parnell. The products will be manufactured at the former NatureVet APVMA-approved plant in Sydney, once regulatory approvals are in place. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Animal Pharm)
 
> Ceva Santé Animale and German technology provider ProBioGen have signed a multi-license agreement to use ProBioGen’s AGE1.CR avian cell line in the commercial production of a number of animal vaccines. Master cell banking for one viral vaccine strain has been completed and further development projects are underway. (Animal Pharm)
 
> PCI Animal Health and Merritt Veterinary Supplies announced their joint partnership to form Veterinary Distributors Group, L.L.C. The new venture will allow both organizations to develop strategies and offer customers in the veterinary community aligned resources for optimum choices and services in the Eastern USA. (company press release)
 
> CritiTech, Inc., and Mechanical Systems Inc. announced the formation of a strategic alliance creating a long-term exclusive arrangement for the manufacture and sales of crystallizer units (R&D through commercial production scale) based on CritiTech’s technology and proprietary designs. Over the past two years, CritiTech and Mechanical Systems Inc. have created and validated a supercritical fluid crystallizer that is capable of continuously processing pure submicron size particles of active pharmaceuticals in quantities that were once thought unattainable with this type of process. (company press release)
 
> MinXray, Inc. introduced the TR90B, a new battery powered portable veterinary x-ray unit designed specifically for the equine practitioner. The TR90B is Compatible with both digital and film imaging modalities. (Dotmed.com) 
 
> Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corp. announced the launch of the Integra Miltex Veterinary Orthopedic Implant line, which includes plates, screws, lateral suturing products and instruments that aid in the repair of torn cruciate ligaments and broken or fractured bones in companion animals. Integra currently offers veterinarians a full line of instruments. (Marketwatch)
 
> Elsevier announced that Saunders Solutions for Vets’ suite of online Continuing Professional Development (eCPD) courses are now available through Vetstream’s Vetacademy. (PRNewswire) 
 
> Embrace Pet Insurance announced it has launched a dog and cat poison resource center on its website. The site breaks down poisonous substances into nine categories, and offers suggestions on ways dog and cat owners can prevent poisonings and identify symptoms, as well as what they should do if they suspect their pet has been poisoned. (Catchannel.com)
 
> EU  Merck (MSD) Animal Health announced that its once-daily feline hyperthyroidism treatment Vidalta (carbimazole) will be available across Europe. The treatment, which has been available in the UK since 2008, successfully completed its mutual recognition procedure in October 2011 and will now be rolled out across the continent. (zenopa)
 
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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS
 
> EGYPT – FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE    Egypt’s veterinary authorities say foot-and-mouth disease has left more than 2,000 young cattle dead and 24,500 livestock have been infected with the disease over the past two weeks. Most of the infections have come in the Nile Delta provinces in northern Egypt. The Agriculture Ministry has ordered the isolation of infected animals, the closure of cattle markets across the country and is working on providing a new vaccine for the highly contagious disease. (Sacramento Bee)
 
> US – SWINE ERYSIPELAS   The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) has reported increased incidences of erysipelas in finished and slaughtered hogs, particularly in the Midwest. The last big increase in clinical cases of erysipelas on the farm and in plants was during 1999 and 2000. (Vet Advantage, Pork Network)
 
> ISRAEL – AVIAN INFLUENZA   Israeli veterinary officials have confirmed that three stray cats died of avian influenza after ingesting meat from infected poultry. (AVMA SmartBrief)
 
> HONG KONG – FELINE VIRAL RESEARCH  Researchers in Hong Kong they have identified a new feline morbillivirus that may cause tubulointerstitial nephritis in cats. A morbillivirus found in dogs causes canine distemper. Researchers now plan to begin working on a vaccine for the virus. (Livescience.com) 
 
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AAHA YEARLY CONFERENCE
MARCH 15-18, 2012
 
The AAHA Denver 2012 Yearly Conference ran Thursday, March 15 through Sunday, March 18 and  had a total of  3,913 attendees, including 1,300 veterinarians, 263 practice managers, 420 veterinary technicians, 152 veterinary assistants and support staff, 238 veterinary and veterinary technician students, 67 other professionals,  567 guests, and  906 exhibitor personnel.
 
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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT
 
There was a lot of action this week in the marketplace.  Several licensing, acquisition or marketing agreements were announced that hopefully will be productive for those involved. 
 
We’re also hearing that the first quarter appears to be strong on the revenue side.  Last week I was able to spend some time at the AAHA annual meeting in Denver.  As you’ll see in the newsletter it was well attended and those we visited with seemed pleased with the revenue increases occurring in their companies. 
 
So, what’s the problem? We’re not exactly sure, but there remains a high level of concern and skepticism over the future of companion animal veterinary medicine based on the issues facing small animal clinics and the profession as a whole. It is a rapidly changing business environment and those not prepared to adapt to the new realities will face some even larger struggles down the road. As we’ve said in this newsletter a number of times, it is not business as usual in 2012!! It’s time for businesses and institutions to assess their operating models against the changing marketplace. Do they match, or should changes be made? 
 
Have a great weekend!! 
 
Ron Brakke
 
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Dallas, TX  75234    USA