Animal Health News & Notes for September 27, 2024

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Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for September 27, 2024
Copyright © Brakke Consulting
Editor: Lynn Fondon DVM MBA
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IN THE NEWS:
Brakke Consulting News
Hiring Manager Survey
Animal Health Jobs – Merck Animal Health

Other News
3B Scientific
Andreessen Horowitz
ArmOR Hand Gloves
Buddy Chester Sub
Can-Fite BioPharma
Chewy
CureLab Veterinary
Danone
Ease
Embark Veterinary
epiq Animal Health
Fressnapf
Ginkgo Bioworks
Harrison’s Bird Foods
Infusion Concepts
Mars Veterinary Health
Merck
Midwest Veterinary Supply
Modulant Biosciences
Mountain Vet Supply
Novus
NutriQuest
Patterson Companies
Pet’s Best Life
Petlibro
Scribenote
Seraphina Therapeutics
Shelters United
Vetbiolix
Veterinary Simulator Industries
Victor Medical
Xeptiva Therapeutics
Zoetis

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Animal Health Jobs
Exciting Career Opportunities with Merck Animal Health!

Merck Animal Health, a global leader in veterinary innovation, is currently hiring immediately for two exciting positions:

— Dairy Monitoring Customer Success Specialist – Texas & New Mexico
In this role, you’ll support dairy producers by providing technical expertise on Merck’s monitoring technologies. You’ll work closely with customers to ensure successful implementation, improve herd management, and optimize productivity. This is a unique opportunity to make a real impact in the dairy industry with a global leader. Click here to learn more.

— Companion Animal Territory Representative — Mason City, IA
As a Companion Animal Territory Representative, you’ll be responsible for promoting Merck’s products and services to veterinary clinics. You’ll build strong relationships with veterinary professionals, providing them with the tools they need to improve animal health. This role offers the chance to shape the future of companion animal care in your region. Click here to learn more.

Why Join Merck Animal Health?
At Merck, we are committed to advancing the science of healthier animals. By joining our team, you’ll have the opportunity to grow your career with a company that values innovation, collaboration, and making a difference in the lives of animals and those who care for them.

Apply Now!
Interested in learning more about open roles with a global leader in the industry? Visit Animal Health Jobs and find Merck as a featured company to see more career opportunities.

To learn more about Merck Animal Health, click here.

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COMPANY NEWS RELEASES

• Zoetis and Danone announced a joint business development plan to enable Danone to leverage Zoetis’ genetic technologies globally, integrating sustainable practices into dairy genetics and selection. (company press release)
• Merck Animal Health announced the expansion of the newly USDA-approved Nobivac NXT vaccine platform to include a feline leukemia virus (FeLV) vaccine. The vaccine is expected to be available at veterinary clinics and hospitals nationwide this fall. (businesswire)
• Midwest Veterinary Supply announced its agreement to purchase Victor Medical Company, allowing Midwest to expand its market reach and provide a more diverse product offering. Financial terms were not disclosed. (company press release)
• Patterson Companies, Inc. announced that it has signed two separate acquisition agreements for its Animal Health business – Infusion Concepts in the United Kingdom and Mountain Vet Supply in the United States. Infusion Concepts Ltd. designs and supplies infusion, drainage and critical care products. Patterson’s production animal business, Animal Health International, Inc., will acquire a majority of the operating assets related to Mountain Vet Supply, a regional distributor with a retail location headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado. Financial terms were not disclosed. (company press release)
• Chewy, Inc. announced the commencement of an underwritten offering of $500 million of shares of its Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, by Buddy Chester Sub LLC, which is an entity affiliated with funds advised by BC Partners Advisors LP, Chewy’s largest shareholder. In addition, Chewy has agreed to purchase from Buddy Chester Sub LLC $300 million of Chewy’s Class A common stock, which will be cancelled and retired upon completion of the Concurrent Repurchase. (company press release)
• Mars Veterinary Health announced its founding sponsorship of the Veterinary Sustainability Alliance (VSA), the first US-focused nonprofit dedicated to preserving and protecting animal and human health by promoting sustainability. Mars also announced a $85k grant to Shelters United buying group to create a free new Veterinarian of Record (VOR) Training. (company press release)
• CureLab Veterinary , announced it has initiated a Regulation D fundraising offering to raise up to $15 million. The offering is now open only to accredited investors. Proceeds from the offering will be used to obtain conditional market authorization from the USDA for the company’s flagship product, ElenaVet, establish a USDA-certified DNA/RNA manufacturing facility, and achieve profitability. (morningstar.com)
• Can-Fite BioPharma announced a licensing deal with Vetbiolix for the veterinary drug Piclidenoson, aimed at treating osteoarthritis in pets. Can-Fite will receive a 15% royalty on global sales. (com)
• Novus International and Ginkgo Bioworks announced a partnership to develop advanced feed additives by building more efficient enzymes that can be produced cost-effectively. (Feedstuffs)
• Pet’s Best Life and Seraphina Therapeutics announced the launch of Longevity15 powered by fatty15 with pentadecanoic acid, designed to slow biological mechanisms of aging and aid in protecting cells and enhancing a dog’s quality of life. (Vet Advantage)
• epiq Animal Health and ArmOR Hand Gloves announced a strategic partnership allowing an innovative glove to be brought to the animal health distribution channels. Developed by a veterinarian, the Fear Free Preferred ArmOR Hand glove are reinforced in statistically high-risk injury areas and made of the strongest of stretch materials and are machine washable. (com)
• Embark Veterinary, Inc. announced a new line of supplements: Embark Multi, a supplement to help support dogs’ overall health; Embark Allergy; and Embark Joint. (company press release)
• Petlibro introduced the Dockstream RFID Smart Fountain, said to help multi-pet owners ensure their cats properly hydrated. Backed by RFID recognition technology, the fountain can track each pet’s volume, frequency, and duration of water intake with RFID collar tags. All the data can be viewed through the Petlibro app. (Vet Advantage)
• NutriQuest announced it has partnered with Modulant Biosciences to develop a breakthrough technology for control of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and other swine diseases. Modulant Biosciences has discovered a small molecule capable of combating the PRRS virus; the partnership will accelerate the development of this drug candidate. (com)
• Ease, a provider of virtual specialty behavior care, announced it has expanded nationwide, partnering with veterinary clinics across 18 different states just 5 months after its initial launch. (DVM360)
• The American Federation of Aviculture (AFA)announced a partnership with Harrison’s Bird Foods to support critical wild parrot conservation efforts during the 2024-2025 year. As part of this partnership, Harrison’s Bird Foods has donated $25,000 to the AFA’s conservation initiative. (company press release)
• URUGUAY Xeptiva Therapeutics, a biotech startup which develops vaccines to alleviate chronic pain in animals, announced the close of its seed funding round, raising $2.5 million from international investors. Currently, the company is focused on developing vaccines that treat the two most prevalent chronic inflammatory diseases in companion animals: one for chronic pain due to osteoarthritis and another for atopic dermatitis, both in the clinical trial phase. (com)
• GERMANY 3B Scientific announced that it has acquired Veterinary Simulator Industries (VSI), a leading developer of veterinary simulation models. Financial terms were not disclosed. (prnewswire)
• CANADA Scribenote announced it has raised an $8.2 million seed led by Andreessen Horowitz. Scribenote records conversations during appointments and uses AI to automatically generate medical records. (yahoo finance)
• FRANCE Fressnapf announced that its Maxi Zoo pet retail chain has introduced Maxi Zoo Vet teleconsulting service in France. The pet retailer’s new digital resource offers a wide range of dog, cat, small animal and bird health services. The company states that its launch in France builds on the success of Maxi Zoo’s nutritional and behavioral video consultations platform, which has already proven successful in Germany. (GlobalPets)

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Brakke Search
US Hiring Managers – we want to hear from you!

Is finding the right talent becoming harder for your company? Brakke Search and Animal Health Jobs want your input on the hiring market.

The results will be shared for free in November with all participants, and your responses will remain anonymous. Help us gather insights by taking a short survey on hiring trends in the Animal Health Industry.

The first 50 qualified respondents who complete the survey will be entered to win a free job posting or admission to the Brakke Consulting Industry Overview at VMX or WVC 2025. Please take the survey only if you are the hiring manager for a US animal health company.

CLICK HERE to take the survey! Thank you for your time!

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ANIMAL HEALTH STOCK PRICE TRACKER

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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS

• US – ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP The FDA announced it is awarding cooperative agreement funds for three projects to collect, analyze and report data on antimicrobial use (AMU) in animals. Recipients include Mindwalk Consulting Group, LLC (turkey, broiler chicken and table egg industries); Cornell University (dairy farms); and Kansas State University (to develop a dashboard illustrating AMU data trends). (FDA)
• US – SLAUGHTER GUIDELINES The American Veterinary Medical Association has updated its Guidelines for the Humane Slaughter of Animals to include additional bird species and adds sections covering mink, other fur-bearing animals, frogs, decapods and cephalopods. The document also includes information about religious slaughter, which is exempt from the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. (Todays Veterinary Business)
• US – VETERINARY EDUCATION Arkansas State University’s board of trustees approved spending $33.2 million on design and construction of the state’s first public veterinary college. Lyon College, a private liberal arts college in Batesville, is also planning to open a veterinary school and start enrolling students in fall 2025; it would be the first private veterinary school in Arkansas. (com)
• GLOBAL – PETCARE FUNDING According to Crunchbase data, around $500 million in seed through growth funding has gone to roughly 50 pet- and vet care-related startups globally so far in 2024. That puts 2024 on track for the lowest investment to the space in years, both by round counts and total funding. By comparison, $2.08 billion was raised in 2021. (Pet Products SmartBrief – Crunchbase)
• US – PET CARE SUPPORT A legislative study bill being considered in Colorado would allow for research to be done to determine the feasibility of Peticaid, a proposed federal- and state-supported subsidy that would be a supplement to Medicaid and allow households currently on Medicaid to add pets to their coverage. (Vet Advantage)
• US – CARE GUIDELINES The American Animal Hospital Association has scheduled the release of Community Care Guidelines for Small Animal Practice later this fall. A key element of the Community Care Guidelines is the emphasis on collaboration between private veterinary practices and nonprofit organizations. (Todays Veterinary Business)
• US – VETERINARY DIAGNOSTICS The Kansas Board of Regents has approved the construction of a new $130-million Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at Kansas State University. The lab will be a part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, comprises 60 accredited government and university laboratories. (com)

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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT
INNOVATION that delivers

Innovations in animal health are rapidly increasing, with new developments entering areas previously untouched. However, some fields, particularly AI-driven information, are becoming crowded with similar offerings. Larger pharmaceutical and nutrition companies often have strategies for evaluating innovations, so entrepreneurs should carefully consider these before investing time and resources.

At the core of innovation is one key question: “What problem am I solving?” This simple question has two critical factors:

• Does the innovation address a real problem or need? If so, is it novel?
• Does it compete with an existing solution? If so, how is the innovation better?

Innovations in niche areas may not target large markets but can still offer significant profit potential by addressing specific needs with little competition. In contrast, competing innovations must have a clear and compelling unique value proposition.

Many passionate entrepreneurs approach market entry without fully understanding the problem their innovation solves. Often, they create a solution first and then seek out applications for it, which can lead to missed opportunities. Moreover, some innovators remain unaware of existing competitors in their space, which hampers their success.

Involvement earlier in the development process would allow for better strategic guidance, ensuring a more successful outcome. That is why we like to work with clients early in the process to address these two critical factors.  The takeaway is simple: ensuring clarity around the problem and the innovation’s unique value is crucial to delivering a successful market solution.

Lourens Havenga
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YOUR VIEW
Last week, we asked how often you’ve visited your pets’ veterinarian. 13% said none; 7% said once; 22% said twice; 27% said 3-4 times; and 32% said 5+ times.  We wonder how many of you in that last category have pets benefitting from one of the monthly monoclonal antibody therapies.

This week
Earlier in this newsletter, we learned from Crunchbase that outside investment in pet health startups is lower in 2024.