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Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for April 29, 2011
Copyright © Brakke Consulting, Inc.
Editor: Lynn Fondon, DVM MBA
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IN THE NEWS:
Brakke news
recruiting
earnings news
Abaxis
Bayer
Intervet/Schering-Plough
Merial
VCA Antech
other news
Abbott
Bayer
Best Veterinary Solutions
Ceva
Edan Instruments
IDEXX
Intervet/Schering-Plough
Intrexon
Leading Edge Veterinary Equipment
Novartis
Pfizer
Sergeant’s
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BRAKKE CONSULTING, INC.
MERGER, ACQUISITION, DIVESTITURE ASSISTANCE
In the past year, Brakke Consulting has been the finder of record, agent of record or consultant for several projects that have closed. We have assisted with valuations and due diligence on confidential transactions, and provided executive counsel on a number of potential transactions.
Brakke Consulting has the experience, insight, abilities, and contacts that provide our clients with the highest quality services in the animal health, pet, veterinary, and specialty chemicals markets. Please contact any of our offices for a confidential consultation on our range of services. Contact information for all offices are available on our website at www.BrakkeConsulting.com.
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COMPANY EARNINGS RELEASES
> Sanofi-aventis reported results for the first quarter of 2011. First-quarter net sales of Merial totaled EUR 594 million ($837 million), an increase of 12%. Sales of companion animals were sustained by the Frontline family, where good performance of this brand in the US largely offset the impact of Frontline branded generics in Europe. (company website)
> Merck announced financial results for the first quarter of 2011. Revenues for animal health division Intervet/Schering-Plough increased 7% to $758 million. (company press release)
> Bayer reported financial results for the first quarter of 2011. Animal Health sales were EUR 296 million ($417 million), an increase of 14%. (company website)
> Abaxis, Inc. reported financial results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011. Veterinary market revenues for the year were $108 million, up 17% year-over-year. (PRNewswire)
> VCA Antech, Inc. reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 011. Revenue increased 7% to $355 million; net income was $28.8 million. Laboratory revenue increased 2% to $80 million; Animal Hospital revenue increased 9% to $270 million driven by acquisitions. (company press release)
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COMPANY NEWS RELEASES
> Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health announced the appointment of Best Veterinary Solutions, Inc., as its marketer and exclusive distributor for turkey products in the US. (worldpoultry.net)
> Pfizer Animal Health announced it will withdraw the cat and dog ectoparasiticide ProMeris from the market in the US. (Animal Pharm)
> Novartis Animal Health US, Inc. announced the launch of RemindMyPet, a free iPhone mobile digital device App in the US that notifies pet owners when to give their animals needed medication. (company press release)
> Sergeant’s Pet Care Products, Inc. announced that its fipronil-based generic products, FiproGuard Plus and Pronyl OTC Plus, will be available in a wide range of retail locations in May 2011. FiproGuard Plus is available through pet specialty retailers; Pronyl OTC Plus is available in grocery stores, drug stores and at mass retailers. (company press release)
> Abbott Animal Health announced the introduction of PropoFlo 28 (propofol), a 28-day preserved version of propofol, an intravenous anesthetic for use in dogs. (company press release)
> IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. announced the launch of the SNAP fPL (feline pancreas-specific lipase) Test, the first pet-side test developed to measure feline lipase levels specific to the pancreas. (company website)
> Intrexon Corporation announced the launch of its Animal Science Division. The Division is focused on pioneering novel approaches that protect and enhance the health of companion and production animals, improve production animal efficiency, and enable more relevant animal research models. (Business Wire)
> Leading Edge Veterinary Equipment announced an agreement with Edan Instruments, Inc. as the exclusive North American supplier of the Edan VE-H100B Pulse Oximeter through its select group of distributors. This animal-specific device provides veterinarians an accurate and easy way to monitor patients’ pulse rate and oxygen saturation levels. (PRWeb)
> EU Bayer announced that the European Commission has approved two new companion animal products: Veraflox (pradofloxacin) and Procox (emodepside and toltrazuril). Veraflox is the first next-generation veterinary fluoroquinolone antibiotic for the treatment of bacterial infection in cats and dogs. Procox is the first and only licensed combination treatment for roundworm and coccidia in dogs. (PRNewswire)
> UK Ceva Animal Health announced the UK launch of Fiprospot, a new spot-on for dogs and cats containing fipronil. (Vetsurgeon.org)
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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS
> US – BOVINE TB California state and federal officials say bovine tuberculosis has been detected in a dairy cow from a Southern California herd during a routine slaughterhouse inspection. The cow was traced to a San Bernardino County dairy and other animals in the herd are being tested as well. The last known case of bovine tuberculosis in California was in 2009. (losangeles.cbslocal.com)
> US – ANIMAL HEALTH RESEARCH The Center for Animal Health Innovation officially has opened its doors at Kansas State University’s Olathe campus. The fledgling program, started with a $1 million seed grant from the Kansas Bioscience Authority, is designed to become a matchmaker between animal health companies looking for new technology to develop into products and the university researchers or entrepreneurs coming up with that technology. (Bizjournals.com)
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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT
Wow!! What a strong first quarter for those firms reporting. We’ll have a record growth for the industry if these numbers continue for the balance of the year. Only time will tell, but it feels good right now!!
It was another interesting week in animal health with a number of announcements related to the large US flea and tick market. In visiting several OTC retailers the past few days, we’ve seen a number of empty retail shelf spaces ready for new generic fipronil brands to arrive. The product names and pricing are in place. In a couple of cases, the store management indicated that delivery of actual product will occur by this weekend. Promotional materials for the new products were also evident in the stores.
The $64,000 question is how will these new products in the OTC market impact the veterinary channel? We’re not going to speculate at this point, but we do think we’re likely to find out the value of brand-building this summer.
Have a great weekend!!
Ron Brakke
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