The Experts in Animal Health

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Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for April 7, 2023
Copyright © Brakke Consulting
Editor: Lynn Fondon DVM MBA
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IN THE NEWS:

Brakke News
Brakke Search

Other News
Animal Friends Investments
Assur O’Poil
Bimeda
BioZyme
Correlation One Holdings
EarthWise Pet
Elanco
Embrace Pet Insurance
Enso Discoveries
Evonik
Feeders Pet Supply
Forage Capital Partners
HD Assurances
Heska
Houchens Industries
Independent Pet Partners
JAB Holding Company
Jorgensen Laboratories
Kriser’s Natural Pet
Mars
Mountain Group Partners
Nationwide
NP Acquisition
Parnell Technologies
Pet Pros
Pet Supplies Plus
Petco
PetKnowledge
Pinnacle Pet Group
Provetica
See Spot Shop
Spunky Pup
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries
Vivaldis Animal Health
Vytelle
Walmart
ZyVet Animal Health

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K- State Olathe
Professional Development 

Navigating Regulations in Animal Nutrition | May 18

This one-day workshop is offered in-person or virtually and will highlight a variety of topics. The agenda will cover: Ingredient submission using GRAS and AAFCO, FSMA, the Pet Food Label Modernization regulations and nutritional health products for companion and livestock animals. Register by May 2 for an early bird discount of $100 off.

Advanced Biologics | June 14-15

Join us for the Advanced Biologics workshop, which will cover practical issues in animal health regulatory affairs as it relates to the development of vaccines and other biologics to aid in assuring developed biologics are pure, safe, potent and effective. There are 11.5 CEs available. Register by May 30 for the Early Bird discount.
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COMPANY NEWS RELEASES

  • Elanco Animal Health announced it has begun shipping Bexacat (bexagliflozin tablets), an oral treatment formulated to improve glycemic control in cats with diabetes mellitus. The drug earned FDA approval in December 2022. (Todays Veterinary Business)
  • Mars, Inc., and Heska Corporation announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Mars will acquire Heska for $120.00 per share. Upon transaction close, Heska will join Mars Petcare, Science & Diagnostics, which currently includes Antech Diagnostics. (prnewswire)
  • The FDA announced it has approved Parnell Technologies‘ RESPIRmycin 25 (generic tulathromycin) for use in swine, suckling calves, dairy calves, and veal calves. (FDA)
  • The FDA announced it has approved Provetica‘s Modulis for Dogs (generic cyclosporine oral solution) indicated for the control of atopic dermatitis in dogs. (FDA)
  • The FDA announced it has approved ZyVet Animal Health generic Maropitant Citrate tablets for the prevention of acute vomiting and the prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs. (FDA)
  • The FDA announced it has approved Bimeda Animal Health‘s Bimasone (flumethasone) Injectable Solution, the first generic flumethasone, for certain diseases that cause inflammation in horses, dogs, and cats. (FDA)
  • Jorgensen Laboratories announced a partnership with Enso Discoveries, making Enso’s line of Rebound PRP products available through JorVet distributors. (company press release)
  • Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. announced the launch of its Clean Grooming initiative. Pet parents can now easily identify grooming services and products without parabens, phthalates and chemical dyes. (company press release)
  • BioZyme introduced AO-Biotics EQE, a postbiotic developed specifically for layers, with patent pending technology using BioZyme’s proprietary strain of Aspergillus oryzae (AO). (Feedstuffs – subscription)
  • Evonik announced it is transforming the operating model of its animal nutrition business. Moving forward, the amino acids business and the specialty nutrition business will operate separately and according to different models. The specialty nutrition business with functional feed additives and digital tools will be developed into a business with system solutions and specialties for poultry, swine and ruminants. (Feedstuffs – subscription)
  • Vytelle announced it has raised $20 million in Series B funding to accelerate genetic progress in cattle. The investment was led by Forage Capital Partners and included new investor Mountain Group Partners, along with existing investors. (company press release)
  • Following its voluntary filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy in February, Independent Pet Partners Holdings (IPP) closed the sale of 60 of its pet supply retail locations to multiple purchasers including NP Acquisition, Pet Pros, and Pet Supplies Plus. As part of the chapter 11 filing, IPP reduced its store count from over 160 to 66 stores in its core markets of Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, and will only operate under the Chuck & Don’s and Kriser’s banners. (Pet Product News)
  • EarthWise Pet announced it has acquired seven former Kriser’s Natural Pet locations in Orange County, CA, and four See Spot Shop stores in Scottsdale, AZ. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Pet Product News)
  • Spunky Pup announced the acquisition of the all-natural treat company PetKnowledge. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Pet Business)
  • Houchens Industries announced it has acquired Feeders Pet Supply, a rapidly growing omnichannel pet specialty retailer. The company operates under the names of Feeders Pet Supply and Chow Hound Pet Supplies across six different states. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Pet Product news)
  • Nationwide announced it is partnering with Walmart to sell pet health insurance through Walmart’s website. Nationwide policyholders already receive preferred pricing on pet prescriptions at Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies. (Todays Veterinary Business)
  • Embrace Pet Insurance announced the launch of Apollo, an AI platform to automate routine claim processes such as document handling, data extraction and claim adjudication. The platform, which was built completely in-house, is over 75 percent faster than Embrace’s standard claims processing method. (PRNewswire)
  • EU Pinnacle Pet Group, a pan-European pet insurance provider with JAB Holding Company as controlling shareholder, announced it will acquire Animal Friends Investments Ltd, which wholly owns Animal Friends Insurance Services Ltd, a UK-based pet insurance provider, from Correlation One Holdings Pinnacle also announced it will acquire HD Assurances, an animal health insurance broker, selling its insurance products under the brand Assur O’Poil in France, Belgium, and Italy. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Businesswire, Businesswire)
  • INDIA Sun Pharmaceutical Industries announced it will acquire a 60% stake in Vivaldis Animal Health from its existing shareholders for 143.30 crore ($17 million). Sun Pharma plans to acquire the remaining 40% in the future. Financial terms were not disclosed. (com)

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BRAKKE SEARCH
Regional Sales Manager for Northern California area

Great opportunity for sales management professionals with a leader in pet healthcare innovation, offering diagnostic and software products and services. Key qualifications include:

  • Proven sales management experience
  • Demonstrated leadership and selling/closing skills
  • Ability to simplify the complex and juggle many priorities
  • Experience in animal health and/or capital equipment and/or diagnostics

The region includes Sacramento and areas north, Reno, NV; all of the SF Bay Area through Silicon Valley; and south through Modesto and Watsonville. Relocation is available.

Interested? Please contact Jeff Santosuosso, jeff@brakkeconsulting.com.

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ANIMAL HEALTH STOCK PRICE TRACKER

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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS

  • US – NEW ANIMAL DRUG GUIDANCE The FDA issued draft Guidance for Industry #278, Human User Safety in New and Abbreviated New Animal Drug Applications, to clarify the current approaches and the FDA’s recommendations for Human User Safety (HUS) assessment and submission of HUS information to support the overall safety of proposed new animal drugs prior to approval. This guidance is the first document published by the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) that is entirely dedicated to the topic of HUS in New and Abbreviated New Animal Drug Applications.  (FDA)
  • UK – PET IDENTIFICATION The UK government passed legislation making cat microchipping compulsory. All kittens are to be microchipped before 20 weeks. The rules, don’t apply to free living cats that live with little or no human interaction or dependency, such as farm, feral, or community cats.  (GlobalPets)

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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT
This week’s announcement by Nationwide Insurance about its partnership with Walmart to sell pet health insurance should stimulate your thinking.  Walmart already offers prescriptions from its pharmacies at a discount to Nationwide policyholders, and selling Nationwide pet insurance on the Walmart website will certainly make Nationwide’s pet insurance more broadly available.  According to industry statistics from the North American Pet Health Insurance Assoc., slightly less than 4.0 million pets were insured in the US in 2021 (the last year statistics were available), with that number growing from 17% to 28% per year.  This calculates to a market share of about 2.5% of the pets in the US in 2021.  Clearly there is an opportunity to grow the number of insured pets to the benefit of all veterinary service providers.

When the world’s largest retailer and a top 10 US property and casualty insurance company partner to offer pet health insurance,  we can expect a significant impact.  Walmart houses a growing number of pet clinics within its stores across the US, so today’s business model for delivering veterinary service will continue to change and evolve.  The already enormous pressures on the traditional delivery model for veterinary services will continue to build, and successful practices and suppliers will prepare themselves to adapt.  How will these changes affect your business?  Are you ready?

Jim Kroman
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YOUR VIEW
Last week’s question asked you about training.  Only 22% of respondents said that their company provides the training they desire.  19% said that their training is adequate, but they’ve also gone outside for training.  48% say that the training provided to them is insufficient / irrelevant, and 13% don’t feel the need for training.  It seems like these answers highlight an industry issue that should be addressed!

This Week

This week let’s focus a little more on recreation than on business.

Compared to the last pre-pandemic year (2019), are you planning to spend as much money on vacation(s) in 2023 as you did in 2019? Let’s see how this year compares!

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