Vidium Wins Emerging Companies Competition
Vidium Animal Health, whose research into pet cancer led to the SearchLight DNA diagnostic test, earned the Innovation Award at the 2022 Animal Health Summit in Kansas City, Missouri. Vidium, which is working on a genomic-based blood test, bested 10 other emerging companies, including VetGuardian, PetHub, Birds Eye Robotics and Lemna. The event allows young animal health companies looking for investment dollars or guidance to present their products and business plans to a panel of judges and an audience of potential partners. Vidium was represented onstage by David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D., its co-founder and president.
MWI Expands Into Nordic Region
MWI Animal Health acquired Swevet, a distributor of veterinary products and equipment across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. Terms were not released. Idaho-based MWI already operates two distribution centers in the United Kingdom.
NaVetor Works With Keystone PACS
NaVetor, a cloud-based practice information management system distributed by Patterson Veterinary, is now integrated into Asteris’ Keystone PACS system. “Veterinarians can access their diagnostic-quality images right from within NaVetor’s patient record utilizing Asteris’ unique partner viewing technologies,” the companies reported.
Clinics Can Enroll in Diabetes Pet Care Alliance
Merck Animal Health, Purina and Zoetis Inc. are teaming up again to sponsor the annual Diabetes Pet Care Alliance. Veterinary clients whose pets are diagnosed with diabetes from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 can receive a free kit containing an AlphaTrak 2 blood glucose monitoring system from Zoetis, a bag of Purina Pro Plan therapeutic food for cats or dogs, and a vial of Vetsulin from Merck. The giveaway requires a patient’s veterinary clinic to enroll in the program by Oct. 31 at usa.petdiabetesmonth.com.
Dechra Acquires Med-Pharmex for $260 Million
Dechra Pharmaceuticals purchased veterinary drug maker Med-Pharmex Inc. for $260 million. Med-Pharmex manufactures white-label pharmaceuticals, mainly topical, oral and injectable products, at a plant in Pomona, California. “Dechra intends to bring some of these products in-house and sell through its own sales and marketing channels,” the company reported.
Coming Soon: New Compounding Rules
A poll conducted by Wedgewood Pharmacy found that most veterinary practices aren’t aware of the looming enforcement of new FDA guidance regarding veterinary drug compounding. The start date is Oct. 1. “FDA’s new guidance will change the way medication is obtained by veterinary practices for difficult-to-treat patients, those whose needs cannot be met by FDA-approved alternatives,” said Marcy A. Bliss, CEO of Wedgewood Pharmacy. Details of the FDA guidance and the poll are at bit.ly/3Bck9f3.
Study Finds Burnout Is a $2 Billion Problem
Workplace burnout costs the U.S. veterinary industry $2 billion a year and affects more than half of veterinarians, according to the Cornell Center for Veterinary Business and Entrepreneurship. The research, led by Cornell University assistant professor Dr. Clinton Neill, was published in Frontiers at bit.ly/3wYJmXL. The American Veterinary Medical Association and Zoetis Inc. supported the study.
AAHA Releases Canine Vaccination Guidelines
The American Animal Hospital Association published the 2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines at aaha.org/canine-vaccinations. “The guidelines contain updates on recommended vaccination protocols based on age, lifestyle and the increasing prevalence of certain diseases such as leptospirosis,” said AAHA chief medical officer Jessica Vogelsang, DVM.