This Week in Animal Health: FDA Grants Gallant Expanded Conditional Approval Pathway

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Brakke Consulting’s 
Animal Health News & Notes for April 17, 2026
Copyright © Brakke Consulting
Editor: Christine Merle DVM, MBA, CVPM 
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IN THE NEWS:
Brakke Consulting
Animal Health Jobs/ Brakke Search

Company News
AlphaPet Ventures (EU)
Amferia (IR)
Argent Bio Pharma (AU)
AstroDoc
Bimeda
Boehringer Ingelheim (EU)
Bond Vet
Central Garden & Pet
Ceva Animal Health
CannPal Animal Therapeutics (AU)
Dutch
Eco Animal Health
Gallant
ImmuCell
Immune Propulsion
Interchem (IR)
Kennel Connection
Mars
Movora
MSD Animal Health (EU)
Noble Pharma
Parnell
Pawp
Petwealth
Phillips Pet Food & Supplies
Tierliebhaber (DE)
Vetirus Pharmaceuticals
Vuzix
Zipline (KE)
Zoetis (KE)

Animal Health News
India
United States

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Animal Health Jobs/ Brakke Search

Finding the right talent in today’s competitive industry can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. With the combined power of Animal Health Jobs and Brakke Consulting’s Executive Search team, your hiring process becomes faster, smarter, and more effective.

At Animal Health Jobs, we connect you directly with a highly targeted pool of over 5,000 experienced professionals. Brakke’s industry-specific focus at Animal Health Jobs ensures you’re not sorting through irrelevant resumes. Instead, we provide qualified candidates who understand your business and share your passion. Whether you’re filling technical, sales, or leadership roles, our platform helps you reach the right people quickly.

For critical or senior-level hires, Brakke Search offers a personalized, hands-on recruiting experience backed by over 35 years of industry expertise. Our proven process begins with a deep understanding of your company’s goals, culture, and role requirements. From there, our team leverages an extensive network, targeted outreach, and specialized assessment tools to deliver a carefully curated shortlist of top candidates, complete with qualitative evaluations and cultural fit insights.

From crafting position descriptions to offer negotiation, Brakke Consulting partners with you every step of the way, ensuring a seamless and confidential search process.

Don’t leave your next hire to chance. Whether you need immediate access to talent or a dedicated search partner, Animal Health Jobs and Brakke Search are hear to help. Contact Amanda McDavid or Jeff Santosuosso to start your job search today.

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Company News Releases

• Ceva Animal Health appointed Sébastien Huron as Deputy Chief Executive Officer where he will serve in a dual leadership role with Marc Priazsky. (com)
• Marslaunched a series of video perspectives on “What makes Mars, Mars?”- these include sit downs with leaders from BluePearl Pet Hospital, Mars Veterinary Health and Royal Canin. (com)
• Gallant announced the FDA has granted its feline OA therapy as eligible for expanded conditional approval pathway as well as positive results from a pilot clinical study with this therapy. (company press release)
• Bimedaannounced the launch of GastroBIm for the treatment of equine gastric ulcers in the US. (company press release)
• Parnell, a veterinary pharmaceutical company, acquired Noble Pharma, a U.S. Based pharmaceutical manufacturer. (com)
• Vetirus Pharmaceuticalshas partnered with Immune Propulsion to develop IVPM-173, a novel therapy to treat large mass tumors in companion animals. (company press release)
• ImmuCellannounced the appointments of Drs Gilles Guillemette and Anthony DiMarco to its Board of Directors. (company press release)
• Eco Animal Healthannounced the appointment of Dr. Andrew Winder as Head of Business Development. (company press release)
• A strategic pet distribution joint venture was announced by Central Garden & Petand Phillips Pet Food & Supplies. The joint venture will operate under the Phillips Brand with cash proceeds and 20% ownership stake in the newly formed joint venture will go to Central Garden & Pet. (company press release)
• Movora, specializing in veterinary orthopedic implants, instruments and continuing education, signed a reseller agreement with Vuzix, a supplier of AI-powered smart glasses, waveguides and augmented reality technologies. (com)
• The public launch of Petwealth, a Miami-based diagnostic company, and its partnerships with Kennel Connection, a pet care management software company, and Pawp, a telehealth provider, was announced. Currently in pre-seed funding round, Petwealthhas raised $1.7M to date. (com)
• Bond Vet, multi-location veterinary care group, announced the launch of its Bond Vet Membership program. (com)
• Dutch, a veterinary telemedicine provider, released its 2026 Pet Care Gapreport and announced Olympian Tara Lipinski as Chief Pet Officer.  (com)
• AstroDocannounced the global launch of ASTRID’s Veterinary AI companion, a free tool for pet owners to understand symptoms and make informed decisions about when to seek professional veterinary care. (com)
• AU- Argent BioPharmahas acquired CannPal Animal Therapeutics’ late-stage pharmaceutical program focusing on epilepsy, it also includes the option to acquire  the Neuvis oral drug delivery platform. (com.au)
• EU-Boehringer Ingelheim announced the launch of LENZELTA, a vaccine to reduce the incidence and severity of clinical mastitis in cows and heifers. (company press release)
• EU- MSD Animal Healthreceived marketing authorization for its Aquavac S7 vaccine in the EU. (com)
• EU/DE- Tierliebhaber, a German pet nutrition brand, has become the sixth acquisition since 2020 for EU’s AlphaPet Ventures, a digital brand platform for premium pet food. (net)
• IR- A distribution contract with Interchem will bring Amferia’s peptide-based wound care dressing to Irish veterinary professionals. (cision.com)
• KE- Zoetisand Zipline have partnered in Kenya to deliver veterinary products to underserved areas using drone technology. (com)

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Animal Health Stock Price Tracker

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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS

• US- COMMUNITY CARE TOOLKIT- AAHA announced a new toolkitto help support implementation of its 2024 Community Care Guidelines. (organization press release)
• US- DIGITAL HORSE- A 3D tool created at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine is being used to research a whole body approach to find the underlying causes of joint injuries. (edu)
• US- ANTIVIRAL FOGGING – The USDA APHIS has funded a $2M project for a research team at Purdue University with partners Entomol and 1,4 Group, to develop a novel antiviral fogging technology using hydrogenated catmint oil to target and inhibit high pathogenic avian influenza. (com)
• US- ADDISON’S DISEASE- Research at the University of California-Davis has led to the discovery of a gene variant in Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, RESF1, that has a strong association with Addison’s Disease in this breed and while also seen in humans it has previously not been associated with disease. (org)
• US- VIN FOUNDATION-Changes in student loan borrowing that take effect July 1, 2026 can affect the commonly recommended loan consolidation for 2026 veterinary graduates prompting the VIN Foundation to encourage attendance at its New Veterinary Graduate Student Loan Playbook webinar on April 22, 2026. (organization press release)
• US- VIRAL VETERINARY TEACHER- A Bad Bunny- Inspired lesson on bacteriology and mycology by veterinary instructor Dr. Molly Carpenter at the UAGM School of Veterinary Medicine when viral on social media. (com)
• IN-GLOBAL UNIVERSITY- Vantara, a wildlife conservation initiative, announced that it is establishing a Global University dedicated to wildlife and veterinary sciences in Jamnagar, India. (com)

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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT

It is my pleasure to announce that Brakke Consulting will make its debut at the BIO International Convention 2026, taking place this June in San Diego, California — a meaningful milestone for our firm and the clients we serve.

On June 22, in partnership with Abiquifi, Brakke will host the Brazil One Health Summit, an official satellite event of BIO 2026. A curated group of Brazilian animal health startups will present investment-ready technologies to an audience of industry leaders, MAPA representatives, executives, researchers, and investors from around the world.

Our objective is to advance Brazil’s standing as a strategic biotechnology hub while reinforcing its global leadership in the veterinary sector. The Summit is grounded in a One Health framework — integrating animal, human, and environmental health — to bring high-potential Brazilian innovations to international markets.

We invite you to attend for three compelling reasons. First, you will gain direct access to emerging Brazilian startups with technologies ready for investment and partnership. Second, you will have the opportunity to engage with key stakeholders including MAPA, ApexBrasil, Abiquifi, FINEP, and BNDES. Third, you will develop a deeper understanding of how Brazil’s unparalleled biodiversity and market scale create distinct advantages for validating new therapies and products.

I welcome the opportunity to share additional details. Please contact me directly — I look forward to connecting in San Diego.

Mauri Moreira, Senior Consultant — Brazil

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YOUR VIEW 

Last week, based on Jeff Santosuosso’s viewpoint, we asked you about you/ your companies plan to attend the debut WVC Nashville Conference this August.  While the majority (45%) just learned about this conference, 26% of you or your company have committed to attending or exhibit.  While another 7% are still considering their plans. 22% are going to miss the debut. This week with summer like weather hitting the Midwest and East coasts, it makes us think about your summer vacation plans.