Strategic Transaction Enhances Farm-to-Table
Animal Traceability Solutions for Livestock and Aquaculture
Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the
United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), today announced the completion of
its acquisition of IdentiGEN, a leader in DNA-based animal
traceability solutions for Livestock and Aquaculture from MML
Growth Capital Partners Ireland. Specific terms of the agreement
were not disclosed.
IdentiGEN’s technology combines each species’ unique DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid) and data analytics to provide an
evidence-based animal traceability solution, called DNA TraceBack®,
to accurately and precisely trace beef, seafood, pork and poultry
that is verifiable from farm-to-table.
Food producers, processors and retailers are looking for
accurate and complete animal traceability solutions that provide
full accountability, as well as greater transparency, quality and
sustainability of food sources for consumers. The addition of
specialized, digital technology within our portfolio of medicines,
vaccines and services, provides holistic solutions to help advance
animal health and complements our existing identification and
monitoring technology that delivers real-time, actionable data and
insights to help, improve or enhance animal management and health
outcomes.
“Enhanced digital technology will play an increasingly important
role in food traceability and food safety, providing customers
critical information and actionable data to help ensure a
sustainable supply of quality food to protect public health,” said
Rick DeLuca, president, Merck Animal Health. “We now will be able
to provide end-to-end animal traceability solutions at industry
scale to improve the health and safety of animals and ensure even
greater transparency in our food supply.”
DeLuca said, “The highly skilled employees at IdentiGEN, led by
Ronan Loftus and Ciaran Meghen, exemplify our commitment to The
Science of Healthier Animals®, and we look forward to collaborating
with the team to leverage our scientific and technical capabilities
and expertise to shape the future of animal health.”
In April 2019, Merck Animal Health announced the completion of
its acquisition of Antelliq Corporation and its market-leading
brands, Allflex Livestock Intelligence, Sure Petcare and Biomark as
leaders in emerging digital technology with animal identification,
animal monitoring and smart data management for Livestock and
Companion Animals. In December 2019, the company acquired Vaki, a
leader in fish farming and wild fish conservation monitoring
equipment and real-time video monitoring technology to advance fish
health and welfare. In June 2020, the company acquired Quantified
Ag®, a leading data and analytics company that monitors cattle body
temperature and movement in order to detect illness early.
About Merck Animal Health
For more than a century, Merck, a leading global
biopharmaceutical company, has been inventing for life, bringing
forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most
challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck
& Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA, is the global animal health
business unit of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of
Healthier Animals®, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians,
farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of
veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management
solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of digitally
connected identification, traceability and monitoring products.
Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the
health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who
care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive
R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal
Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are
available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit
www.merck-animal-health.com or connect with us on LinkedIn,
Facebook, and Twitter at @MerckAH.
About IdentiGEN
IdentiGEN leads the world in delivering DNA-based solutions
which shape the future of food trust. Founded in 1996, IdentiGEN is
a pioneer of DNA-based solutions for producers, processors and
retailers of meat and seafood products in the Agri-food Industry,
with operations in Ireland, Europe, the UK and the USA. Our
signature product, DNA TraceBack®, helps safeguard and strengthen
the integrity of the supply chain for meat, poultry and seafood
products through the world’s most accurate and precise traceability
platform. A unique solution for industry, using DNA TraceBack®
enables beef, pork, poultry and seafood products to be reliably
traced back through production to the farm, parent or individual
animal from which they originated.
Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Kenilworth, N.J., USA
This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J.,
USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within
the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are
based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s
management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties.
If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or
uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general
industry conditions and competition; general economic factors,
including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations;
the impact of the recent global outbreak of novel coronavirus
disease (COVID-19); the impact of pharmaceutical industry
regulation and health care legislation in the United States and
internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment;
technological advances, new products and patents attained by
competitors; challenges inherent in new product development,
including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to
accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing
difficulties or delays; financial instability of international
economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of
the company’s patents and other protections for innovative
products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent
litigation, and/or regulatory actions.
The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause
results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s 2019
Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s
Internet site (www.sec.gov).
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200805005060/en/
Merck Media Contacts:
Jeanette Lewis + 1 (973) 294-0318 Jeanette.Lewis@merck.com
Pam Eisele +1 (267) 305-3558 Pamela.Eisele@merck.com
Merck Investor Contact:
Michael DeCarbo + 1 (908) 740-1807 Michael.DeCarbo@merck.com
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