The Experts in Animal Health

Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for October 4, 2019
Copyright © Brakke Consulting

Editor: Lynn Fondon DVM MBA

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IN THE NEWS:

Brakke Consulting news
New study – Pet Health Products: Changing Channels

Earnings News 
Cal-Maine Foods

Other News
Alivira Animal Health
Boehringer Ingelheim
Cargill
Ceva (ProBioGen)
Ceva (Velactis)
Chuck Latham Associates
Covetrus (VSG)
Covetrus (lawsuit)
Elanco (restructuring)
Elanco (Credelio)
Jolly Pets
Kindred Biosciences
Kitty Kasas
KnipBio
Mars
Medterra CBD
MicroVet Diagnostics
Nuscience
NVA
People, Pets and Vets
Petplan
ProBioGen
Royal Agrifirm Group
VCA
Veterinary Study Groups
Vetsource
Vets Plus
Warburg Pincus
Zoetis (CEO)
Zoetis (Cytopoint)

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BRAKKE CONSULTING: NEW STUDY
PET HEALTH PRODUCTS: CHANGING CHANNELS
PRE-ORDER NOW

Are pet product sales at an inflection point?

A new report from Brakke Consulting measures and characterizes the most dynamic changes taking place in the marketing of pet products – the emergence of new channels and the changing purchasing behaviors of pet owners, especially as it relates to products traditionally purchased at the veterinary clinic.

Pet Health Products: Changing Channels will be based on two national, representative studies: one, pet owners, the other veterinarians.  The data from these surveys will be compared to data from previous Brakke studies in these areas to highlight trends.

This timely new report will provide marketers and investors key insights to help:

  • Focus resources in the most productive areas
  • Build more effective defense strategies in key channels
  • Recalibrate channel strategies for principal products
  • Build innovative channel strategies for new products and categories
  • Design investment strategies based on “fishing where the fish are”

Pet Health Products, Changing Channels will be available by December 31, 2019.  Cost per report is $10,000.  Subscribers that order by Oct. 28, 2019 and pay in full earn a $500 early order discount.

For a prospectus or more information about this important study please contact us at info@brakkeconsulting.com.

www.BrakkeConsulting.com

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COMPANY EARNINGS RELEASES

  • Cal-Maine Foods reported results for the first quarter of fiscal 2020. Sales fell to $241.2 million, a decrease of nearly 30% year-over-year. The company reported net loss of $(45.8) million compared to net income of $12.4 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2019. (Feedstuffs)

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COMPANY NEWS RELEASES

  • Zoetis announced that Kristin Peck will succeed Juan Ramón Alaix as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2020, and join the Board of Directors, effective immediately. Alaix, who has been CEO of Zoetis since its formation in 2012, has decided to retire as CEO effective December 31, 2019. He will act as an advisor on the leadership transition through December 31, 2020. (company press release)
  • Elanco announced a supplemental approval for Credelio (lotilaner) chewable tablets for the prevention of flea infestations in dogs and puppies. This approval is in addition to the original approval for the treatment of flea infestations. (FDA)
  • Elanco announced its intent to eliminate approximately 250 positions across multiple locations and functions. This includes exiting R&D operations in Prince Edward Island, Canada; ceasing certain operations at the company’s Wusi, China site; and streamlining operations at the Speke, England location. (company press release)
  • Ceva Santé Animale and ProBioGen AG announced the signature of an exclusive license agreement for the manufacture of vectorised poultry vaccines using ProBioGen’s proprietary AGE1.CR technology. ProBioGen and Ceva have a long track record of producing innovative veterinary vaccine technologies from a number of different research and development programs. (company press release)
  • Alivira Animal Health announced it has established its first US office in Chicago, Illinois. The US business will be headed by Alan Kelly, formerly of Bimeda. (company press release)
  • Vets Plus, Inc. announced the launch of ADEPPT technology, a proprietary, all-natural blend of digestive enhancers designed to optimize nutrient uptake in animals. (company press release)
  • Kindred Biosciences announced it has secured a non-dilutive debt facility for up to $50 million of borrowing capacity available in three tranches. An initial $20 million tranche was funded at closing, with the option of an additional $30 million in two tranches. (Animal Pharm)
  • MicroVet Diagnostics announced the launch of U-Treat, a new patient-side test identifies urinary tract infection (UTI) and the best antibiotics to use to treat the condition. (company press release)
  • Covetrus announced a newly expanded strategic partnership with Veterinary Study Groups, Inc. (VSG). With the expanded partnership, Covetrus will now include its prescription management platform and specialty pharmacy products in its current supply chain agreement with VSG. (Business wire)
  • Saxena White P.A. has filed a federal lawsuit against Covetrus for allegedly misleading investors ahead of taking the company public early this year. The suit alleges that Covetrus made a series of misleading statements and omissions concerning the newly merged company’s infrastructure and capabilities before its debut on the Nasdaq stock exchange in February. (Pressherald.com)
  • Vetsource announced it has been named a preferred Home Delivery provider for National Veterinary Associates (NVA). (company press release)
  • Mars announced that it has acquired veterinary practices in Brazil and Japan. Its VCA group recently acquired three practices in Japan. VCA now also has a stake in Brazil after acquiring 50% of Pet Care Central Veterinario S.A., which owns five practices. In addition, through its Linnaeus group Mars acquired Blacks Vets, a small animal practice in England, bringing its U.K. practice count to 148. (VIN News)
  • Petplan announced that the company has been acquired by Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm focused on growth investing. Petplan provides pet health insurance to over 200,000 customers in the US and Canada. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Yahoo finance)
  • Cargill announced that its Animal Nutrition division is changing its name to Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health. (Feedstuffs)
  • Royal Agrifirm Group announced that the feed ingredients line that was formerly known as Nuscience’s Health4U portfolio is now known as Agrimprove. (Feed Navigator)

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ANIMAL HEALTH STOCK PRICE TRACKER

*Thursday market closing prices

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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS

  • US – EEE The Indiana State Board of Animal Health reported that Eastern Equine Encephalitis has been confirmed in 11 horses in northern Indiana. 10 of those horses have either died or had to be euthanized because of the impacts the disease has on their nervous system. (TheIndyChannel.com)
  • US – DRUG APPROVALS The FDA announced the availability of a draft revised guidance for industry (GFI) #171, “Demonstrating Bioequivalence for Soluble Powder Oral Dosage Form Products and Type A Medicated Articles Manufactured from Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Considered to be Soluble in Aqueous Media.”  For more information, go to https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-issues-draft-guidance-demonstrating-bioequivalence-soluble-powder-animal-drugs?utm_campaign=9-27-2019-GFI171&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua(FDA)
  • US – IMPORT REGULATIONS US House representatives, including the chair of the House Agriculture Committee, have introduced the Protecting America’s Food & Agricultural Act, legislation that would authorize Customs and Border Protection to hire more agriculture specialists to prevent an outbreak of African swine fever in the US. The bill would allow the agency to hire 240 agriculture specialists per year until staff shortages are filled so that harmful diseases like ASF won’t enter the country. (Vet Advantage – National Hog Farmer)

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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT

Last week, I started the Viewpoint with a comment about everyone working on their budgets for next year and wrapping up the 3rd quarter.  Well, it’s perhaps time for a break from spreadsheets  to think about man’s best friend, which not a laptop or a phone, it’s a dog.

What caught my eye this week was an article in Wired magazine about dogs learning how to “talk” to humans.  The article can be found here and based on a book by Maria Goodavage titled “Doctor Dogs”.  In the article, she describes technology under development that can be used for dogs to get help for the dog’s handler, where the service dog is trained to seek another person, then touch a sensor on a vest, which then activates a recording that announces, “My owner needs your attention.  Please follow me!”

The messages can be customized, too.  A diabetes-alert dog, one that can sense low or high blood sugar levels, can be trained to “tell” the owner that their blood sugar levels are too high to too low.  There is also work is going on where the service dog can be trained to sense facial expressions of autistic children and then gently tell the child, “Please pet me now.”

Someday, this work will move into the pet area and we will have our dogs tell us, “Put down your phone and take me outside.”  But right now, it is limited to service dogs.  Speaking of service dogs, you need to go see the movie “Superpower Dogs” if you haven’t already It’s in IMAX theaters across the US and in several other countries.  You’ll see great stories about lifesaving superpowered dogs and the science behind their bravery.  It’s almost the weekend – close the laptop and have fun with your four-legged best friend, before your friend talks to you.

Bob Jones

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