Further Solidifies Merck Animal Health’s
Position in the U.S. Companion Animal Category with Comprehensive,
Continuous Parasite Protection
Complements Merck Animal Health’s Broad
Portfolio of Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals
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), and Virbac (NYSE Euronext:VIRP)
today announced that the companies have signed a definitive
agreement under which Merck Animal Health would acquire the U.S.
rights to SENTINEL® FLAVOR TABS® and SENTINEL® SPECTRUM® Chews in
the Companion Animal category. Merck Animal Health will make a cash
payment of approximately $400 million to acquire the SENTINEL
branded products in the United States at closing of the
acquisition.
Comprehensive parasite protection is an essential part of canine
overall health and well-being. The BRAVECTO® product line, which
are our extended duration flea and tick protection products, and
the SENTINEL branded products, which control all common intestinal
parasites, provide an attractive opportunity for broad-spectrum,
year-round comprehensive internal and external parasite protection
for dogs. These complementary products will cover the seven common,
harmful parasites that affect dogs inside and out by preventing
ticks and multiple stages of the flea lifecycle, including eggs and
adult fleas, as well as treating and controlling all common
intestinal parasites, including roundworms, hookworms, whipworms
and tapeworms and preventing heartworm disease.
“Veterinary medicines, including parasiticides, and vaccines
have transformed the health of animals over the past decade,” said
Rick DeLuca, president, Merck Animal Health. “This product
acquisition reinforces Merck Animal Health’s commitment to our
customers and our position in the United States Companion Animal
category. We plan to use the extensive breadth and depth of our
product portfolio, which includes BRAVECTO, a range of Companion
Animal vaccines and the Sure Petcare portfolio of digital products,
along with the SENTINEL branded products, to enhance our offerings
of comprehensive pet care solutions. These products will provide a
full range of complementary solutions for our customers to improve
the health and well-being of animals and the people who care for
them.”
Scott Bormann, senior vice president, North America Commercial
Operations, Merck Animal Health, said, “Our unconditional
commitment to the veterinary community is steadfast as we offer a
broad range of products and services to our customers. With this
product acquisition, we expect to provide veterinarians with the
most comprehensive and continuous parasite protection for dogs in
easy to administer, palatable formulations. These products will
target different parts of the flea lifecycle and will offer
broad-spectrum, internal parasite protection in the SENTINEL brand
and the extended duration flea and tick protection of
BRAVECTO.”
François Fournier, president and chief executive officer, Virbac
United States, said, “These brands are well-known and trusted
parasiticide products that should continue to provide value to both
veterinary clinics and pet owners in the United States for years to
come. We believe that Merck Animal Health is the right company,
ideally positioned to keep developing these products in a
sustainable manner.”
The closing of the transaction is subject to antitrust clearance
and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close by
mid-year 2020.
About BRAVECTO® (fluralaner)
Since its introduction in 2014, BRAVECTO has provided
longer-lasting flea and tick protection with more than 125 million
doses distributed in 85 countries. BRAVECTO is available in a
variety of formulations, including products for both dogs and
cats.
The flea lifecycle can last as long as 12 weeks, and monthly
treatments may leave gaps in protection. One treatment with
BRAVECTO lasts 12 weeks, protects almost three times longer than
monthly treatments and is proven to kill fleas on dogs and cats and
to eliminate them from the home.i BRAVECTO products are only
available through licensed veterinarians.
BRAVECTO is for dogs and cats 6 months of age or older.
BRAVECTO Chews and BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Dogs are
safe for pregnant, breeding and lactating dogs. Use with caution in
dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders.
BRAVECTO Chews for Dogs: Side effects may include vomiting,
decreased appetite, diarrhea, lethargy, excessive thirst and
flatulence. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Dogs: Side effects
may include vomiting, hair loss, diarrhea, lethargy, decreased
appetite, and moist dermatitis/rash. BRAVECTO Topical Solution
for Cats: Side effects may include vomiting, itching, diarrhea,
hair loss, decreased appetite, lethargy, and scabs/ulcerated
lesions. Use with caution in cats with a history of neurologic
disorders. BRAVECTO PLUS for Cats is for cats 6 months of
age or older. Side effects may include vomiting, hair loss,
itching, diarrhea, lethargy, dry skin, elevated ALT, and
hypersalivation. Use with caution in cats with a history of
neurologic disorders. Use with caution in cats that are heartworm
positive.
About Sure Petcare
Sure Petcare, the pet technology specialist, provides pet
products that empower owners to care for their pets in entirely new
ways. Founded in 2007, we have developed an award-winning range of
microchip-operated pet doors and feeders, which solve many problems
commonly experienced by pet owners. Sure Petcare, along with
HomeAgain, is a Companion Animal portfolio of digital products
within Merck Animal Health. For more information, visit
www.surepetcare.com.
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 Virbac
Virbac offers veterinarians, farmers and pet owners in more than
100 countries a practical range of products and services for
diagnosing, preventing and treating the majority of diseases while
improving quality of life for animals. With these innovative
solutions covering more than 50 species, Virbac contributes day
after day to shaping the future of animal health.
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).
_________________________ i Williams et al. Fluralaner, a novel
isoxazoline, prevents flea (Ctenocephalides felis) reproduction in
vitro and in a simulated home environment. Parasites & Vectors
(2014) 7:275.
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