Animal Health News & Notes for June 17, 2022

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Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for June 17, 2022
Copyright © Brakke Consulting
Editor: Lynn Fondon DVM MBA
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IN THE NEWS:
Brakke Consulting News
Animal Health Jobs

Earnings News
Topigs Norsvin

Other News
Atlas Holdings
Biard SAS
Biové Laboratoires SAS
Boehringer Ingelheim (Vetmedin-CA1)
Boehringer Ingelheim (CarthroniX)
Butterfly Network
CarthroniX
DSM (fumonisin esterase)
DSM (Sustell)
ECO Animal Health
Enzyme Innovation
Exceed Equine
Fear Free
Foster Farms
Horse Microbiome
Inovet BV
Inovet Indochine
JAB Consumer Partners
Marel
Mars
National Veterinary Associates
Nutramax Laboratories
Orion Corporation
Orivet
Osceola Capital
Pawlicy Advisor
Petco
Physicians Mutual
Protequus
Remilk
Revo Squared
Royal Canin
SAGE Veterinary Partners
StepStone Group
Sumitomo Chemical America
V.M.D.
V.M.D. Állatgyógyászati Kft
ViroVet
Wedgewood Pharmacy
Wenger Manufacturing
Zesty Paws
Zoetis
Zomedica

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2022 ANIMAL HEALTH SUMMIT
August 29-30, 2022
Location: Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland | Kansas City, MO

Registration is now open for the 2022 Animal Health Summit.

Register today! The Animal Health Summit features two days of networking, 1:1 business partnering, industry thought leaders, panel discussions, speakers and emerging company presentations. Learn more.

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EARNINGS NEWS RELEASES

• Topigs Norsvin reported results for the full year 2021. Turnover rose by almost 10% to EUR 209 million ($218 million). Gross profit was EUR 24.1 million ($25 million), slightly lower than the record result of 2020. (Feedstuffs – subscription)
  

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Animal Health Jobs

NEW ATTITUDE SURVEY: STRONG ANIMAL HEALTH INDUSTRY CULTURE AT RISK?

Animal Health Jobs, a partner of Brakke Consulting, announces the results of their spring 2022 Candidate Attitudinal Survey of job seekers in the animal health industry, describing employee attitudes towards their jobs, their companies and their industry, including feelings about working from home.  While members of the industry largely remain engaged and connected, there have been changes since the last survey was conducted in 2021.

“For the first time, we’re seeing indications of employee concern about the animal health industry’s culture. Companies that want to continue attracting top talent must pay close attention to the effects of the last few years of industry changes.” said Robert Jones, President of Brakke Consulting and Animal Health Jobs.

Click here to read the full white paper.

www.AnimalHealthJobs.com

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COMPANY NEWS RELEASES

• Zoetis announced that the FDA has approved a label extension of Improvest for use in market gilts. Improvest temporarily suppresses estrus in gilts intended for slaughter, helping to minimize the differences between barrows and gilts when it comes to weight gain, uniformity, carcass value and economics. (Feedstuffs – subscription)
• Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health announced that the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has granted conditional approval of Vetmedin-CA1 (pimobendan), for the delay of onset of congestive heart failure in dogs with Stage B2 preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), a form of chronic valvular heart disease in dogs. The original Vetmedin (pimobendan) – approved for the management of the signs of mild, moderate, or severe congestive heart failure in dogs due to MMVD or dilated cardiomyopathy – and Vetmedin-CA1 will be marketed separately with two separate labels, and each drug has a unique application number. (company press release)
• Boehringer Ingelheim and CarthroniX, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing small molecule-based therapies for degenerative and aging-related diseases, announced that they have entered into a research collaboration to pursue small molecule therapeutics in canine oncology. (company press release)
• Mars, Incorporated announced that Ikdeep Singh has been named as the new Global President for its Pet Nutrition business. Ikdeep joined Mars in August 2020 as Pet Nutrition’s Regional President for North America. (PRnewswire)
• Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. announced the launch of Neighborhood Farm & Pet Supply pet care centers, a new test concept designed to serve the health and wellness needs of pets and farm animals – including horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats and more – in small towns and rural communities. The grand opening of the first location will be in Floresville, Texas. (company press release)
• Sumitomo Chemical America announced a US sales and distribution agreement with Enzyme Innovation, an industrial manufacturer of animal feed enzymes and probiotics for poultry, swine, and ruminant health. The deal will expand the range of feed ingredients Sumitomo can offer and strengthen its presence in the US. Financial terms were not disclosed. (IHS Markit Connect – subscription)
• DSM Animal Nutrition and Health announced the FDA approval of a new enzyme, fumonisin esterase, for the degradation of fumonisins present in swine feed. According to the company, it is the first mycotoxin degrading ingredient to go through FDA’s Food Additive Petition (FAP) process and will be the first product ever to be approved for degrading fumonisins in feed in the US market. (Nationalhogfarmer)
• Royal DSM announced it has expanded its Sustell sustainability service into the aquaculture industry. Sustell is an on-farm animal protein sustainability service launched in 2021 for food animals. (IHS Markit Connect – subscription)
• Nutramax Laboratories announced a $30 million investment to expand operations in Lancaster County, South Carolina. The investment will house additional warehousing, distribution and future manufacturing capabilities. (sc.gov)
• Osceola Capital announced it has acquired Wedgewood Pharmacy‘s human-health book of business, allowing Wedgewood to follow its strategy to focus on compounding exclusively for animal health in its compounding pharmacies. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. (Yahoo finance)
• ECO Animal Health Ltd announced that it has entered into a research partnership with Imperial College London to assess the veterinary application of the novel self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) technology. The scope of the collaboration will be the delivery of vaccine antigens and biologics to pigs against three important infectious disease targets (two viral and one bacterial). (company press release)
• The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has intervened in the merger of National Veterinary Associates (owned by JAB Consumer Partners) and SAGE Veterinary Partners, over antitrust concerns. The FTC said that JAB Consumer Partners’ $1.1-billion acquisition of SAGE Veterinary Partners would allow the combined entity to form local monopolies in some cities in Texas and California. The FTC ordered JAB to sell off clinics in three regions of Texas and California and put restrictions on the company’s ability to buy clinics in those markets for 10 years. (com)
• Zomedica announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Revo Squared LLC. Revo’s innovative MicroView digital cytology platform will provide veterinarians with best-in-class image quality while providing the first in-clinic automated slide preparation system. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Yahoo finance)
• Pet genetic testing company Orivet announced a partnership with Horse Microbiome. The advanced at-home test kit by Horse Microbiome has been developed to deliver key insights about a horse’s gut microbiome; Orivet now brings DNA sequencing technologies used in their successful dog genopet gut test to the equine community. (PRweb)
• Butterfly Network announced that its handheld, whole-body, multispecies ultrasound has been approved by Fear Free for the Preferred Product Program. (company press release)
• US animal monitoring business Protequus has entered a research alliance with Exceed Equine, a research, training and rehabilitation facility that uses sensor-driven technology and artificial intelligence analytics to improve the health of its racehorses. The partners will leverage Protequus’ Nightwatch smart halter to better understand the impact of traditional and contemporary training methods have on a racehorse’s recovery. The companies will use the technology to examine distress levels, as well as the quality of rest post-exercise and overnight. (IHS Markit Connect – subscription)
• Marel has successfully closed the $540 million acquisition of Wenger Manufacturing LLC, a global leader in processing solutions for the high growth markets of pet food, plant-based proteins, and aqua feed. Wenger’s revenues in 2022 are expected to be $190 million. (Feedstuffs – subscription)
• Zesty Paws announced the launch of the Zesty Paws Vet Strength line, its most advanced formula yet, created with highly concentrated ingredients. The line includes 3 formulations: Aller-Immune Bites; Mobility Bites; and Pre, Pro & Postbiotic Bites. (DVM360)
• Remilk, a producer of animal-free dairy, has obtained self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status, in accordance with FDA requirements. Remilk claims the proteins it uses are bio-equivalent to their traditional counterparts and that the dairy produced using them is indistinguishable in taste and function from traditional dairy. With this regulatory clearance, the company can begin selling to US consumer packaged goods companies. (Thecattlesite)
• Atlas Holdings announced this week that it has acquired Foster Farms, a family-owned provider of fresh, frozen, and prepared poultry products. The company, which generates revenues of approximately $3 billion annually, will continue to operate under the Foster Farms name. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. (Feedstuffs – subscription)
• Pawlicy Advisor, a pet insurance marketplace, announced both its expansion into veterinary corporate groups, and that the company raised a $12 million Series B funding round led by StepStone Group. This brings the company’s total funds raised to approximately $20 million to date. (insurancenewsnet)
• Physicians Mutual announced the launch of Physicians Mutual Pet, pet health insurance for cats and dogs. The new pet health insurance is currently available in 34 US states with its national debut. (DVM360)
• EU Royal Canin announces new plant in Poland to grow its operations in Europe. The company’s new strategic logistics site of 26,500 square meters will be adjacent to Royal Canin’s existing facility, which has been producing its dry formulations portfolio for most of the European markets since 2008. (GlobalPets – subscription)
• BELGIUM Orion Corporation announced an agreement with Inovet BV to acquire its wholly owned subsidiary M.D. NV and all companies belonging to V.M.D. NV’s group of companies (including Biové Laboratoires SAS, Biard SAS, V.M.D. Állatgyógyászati Kft and Inovet Indochine Co., Ltd.) for approximately EUR 130 million ($136 million) debt free. VMD is a veterinary pharmaceuticals company specialized in medicines and health products for livestock; it also has a product portfolio for companion animals and minor species. The company has production sites in Arques, France and in Arendonk as well as its own sales operations in Belgium, France, Hungary and Vietnam; its revenues in 2021 were EUR 61 million ($64 million). (Globenewswire)
• BELGIUM ViroVet – a startup focused on developing novel vaccines based on a technology platform originating from the Rega Institute for Medical Research of KU Leuven – announced it has completed a EUR 20 million ($20.9 million) series C financing round to accelerate development of its next candidates. The proceeds will be used to generate clinical data for a second swine vaccine and an extended release antiviral drug for bovine viral diarrhea. (IHS Markit Connect – subscription)

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ANIMAL HEALTH STOCK PRICE TRACKER

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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS

• CANADA – DIAGNOSTICS RESEARCH Scientists at McMaster University have developed a new rapid test to detect infections in food-producing animals. The portable technology uses a small sample of saliva to detect the chemical markers of infection. The sample is mixed with a chemical reagent and applied to a small microchip reader, which is attached to a smartphone and “displays the results in minutes”. The pen-side test, which has been developed up to the prototype phase, is said to have been proven effective in detecting porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, and can be adapted to test for other pathogens and species. (IHS Markit Connect – subscription)

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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT

The first commercially available African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine in the world is currently being field tested for safety and efficacy in Vietnam. While this is an important milestone in ASF control and prevention, we should be aware that this is a modified live virus (MLV) vaccine and a DIVA (differentiate infected from vaccinated animals) diagnostic assay that can distinguish vaccinated pigs from those infected with wildtype ASF viruses has yet to be developed.

To effectively control and eradicate ASF, researchers should continue to develop subunit (proteins and peptides) and nucleotide (DNA and RNA) vaccines that are inherently safer and DIVA compatible. DIVA assays are extremely useful for the control of a newly emerging infectious disease or a foreign animal disease as they can enable the “vaccinate-to-live” strategy by which vaccinated animals can be raised and processed for food production and consumption and/or sold into international trade.

In addition to making safe and efficacious ASF vaccines affordable and available worldwide, we should also prioritize R&D efforts to increase our understanding of ASFV virus survival in the environment and evaluate low-cost and environmental-friendly virucidal disinfectants under field conditions.  It has taken a long time to get this far with an MLV vaccine for ASF and let’s hope DIVA vaccines will be field tested soon.

Jishu Shi
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YOUR VIEW

Last week we asked where you think your company’s growth will be for the first half of 2022. The results were a mixed bag: 37% of you said your company’s growth will be over 8%; 26% said growth would be 0-8%; and 37% said growth would be negative compared to the first half of 2021.

This week

This week’s newsletter included a link to an attitudinal survey of job candidates on our Animal Health Jobs platform.  Let’s see how our newsletter subscribers stack up with regard to the future of the industry.

What are your feelings about working in animal health in the future?