Weekly companion animal news: April 18, 2022

Chicago stores deal with pet food shortages as supply chain disruptions continue

Chicago pet store employees have seen shortages of certain pet foods as pandemic-related supply chain disruptions stretch on, the Chicago Tribune reports. “A lot of the time it’ll be one specific protein,” said Shiloh Lane, assistant manager at the Bark by the Park pet store. “So sometimes it’ll be duck, and we can’t get duck in, or any duck products in, for a really long time, or every now and then it’ll be salmon.” Pet store owners said they’ve had to raise consumer prices for foods as their distributors do the same. The shortages can be especially difficult for pet owners who need to buy prescription foods. “There’s always something” available, said Kirsten Plomin, president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association. “It just may warrant you having a conversation with your veterinarian and then us pulling up multiple different suppliers to find which one is available where.”

Embark launches canine genetic screening test

Embark Veterinary announced the launch of a new canine genetic screening test. Using the test, veterinarians can collect dog DNA samples in the exam room and mail the swab to Embark to receive their patient’s comprehensive genetic report. “The test empowers veterinarians to pursue further diagnostics and treatment options, including medical interventions and lifestyle changes,” according to the announcement. “Veterinarians can build a customized clinical care plan based on the patient’s genetic results, with dedicated support from Embark veterinary geneticists.” According to Embark, a 2021 pilot study with Telford Veterinary Hospital showed that 70% of the dogs tested had actionable health results that led to modified care plans.

FDA releases guidance on animal drug compounding

The FDA released new guidelines for animal drug compounding, which is the process of combining, mixing or altering ingredients to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual animal or a small group of animals. The new guidance “describes the agency’s approach to situations where veterinarians use unapproved compounded drugs to provide appropriate care for the medical needs of the diverse species they treat,” the FDA’s announcement says. “The FDA recognizes that this final guidance covers a wide range of stakeholders and plans to focus on education and stakeholder engagement before shifting resources toward inspectional activities in Fiscal Year 2023.” More information on the new guidance is available in the announcement from the FDA.

Elanco and Ginkgo Bioworks launch BiomEdit, a ‘microbiome innovation company’

Elanco Animal Health and Ginkgo Bioworks have launched BiomEdit, a “microbiome innovation company” that plans to develop medicated feed ingredients, nutritional health products and therapeutics for livestock and pets, as well as biosecurity technology for animal disease monitoring. Its launch follows Elanco’s announcement in October that it would carve out its microbiome R&D platform, with plans to create a privately funded biopharmaceutical company. BiomEdit will be staffed by members of the former Elanco microbiome research and development team. It’s launching with targeted Series A funding of $40 million, with participation by Viking Global Investors and Anterra Capital. Elanco and Ginkgo are expected to retain about 40% combined proportional ownership of the new company, with Elanco’s ownership in non-voting shares.

Elanco announces plans for new Indianapolis headquarters

Elanco has unveiled plans for its new global headquarters in Indianapolis. The planned 220,000-square-foot office structure and connected facilities will occupy 40 acres of the former General Motors Stamping Plant site on the western edge of the White River. The campus is “designed to serve as the foundation of a planned animal health epicenter in Indianapolis,” according to Elanco. The campus is being developed in collaboration with AgriNovus, the state of Indiana’s food and agriculture initiative, and business incubator High Alpha. Construction is expected to begin in the coming months and take two to three years to complete.

Dechra and Respirair announce partnership on anesthetic equipment

Dechra and Respirair Global announced a strategic alliance in the United States supplying Respirair’s vaporizer, trolleys and accessories in conjunction with Dechra’s isoflurane and sevoflurane general inhalation anesthetic agents. “We are pleased to have partnered with Respirair Global to provide veterinarians with high-quality and affordable anesthesia equipment, along with our low-cost general [anesthetic] agents, isoflurane and sevoflurane,” said Dechra North America President Mike Eldred.

Terravet real estate group acquires Pittsburgh emergency veterinary center

Terravet Real Estate Solutions has acquired the Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center real estate, comprising two veterinary hospital buildings totaling about 48,000 square feet. According to the announcement, the $22.6 million transaction brings Terravet’s total portfolio, which focuses on veterinary real estate, to about 1 million square feet and about 70,000 square feet in the Pittsburgh market. PVSEC is one of the largest and most comprehensive specialty and emergency veterinary hospitals in Pennsylvania, open 24 hours a day with approximately 50 veterinarians on staff, the announcement says. “This acquisition comes on the heels of a very successful 2021 for Terravet,” the company said. “Last year, the company completed 55 acquisitions in more than 10 new states including Iowa, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Wyoming.”

Vidium Animal Health launches pathology services

Vidium Animal Health, a veterinary diagnostic test provider, has added specialty pathology services to its in-house diagnostic testing capabilities. The company’s pathology services, including histopathology and cytology, are available for small and large animals. The new division will be led by Dr. Barb Powers, Dr. Jeffrey Edwards and Dr. Derick Whitley. More information is available in the announcement from Vidium, a subsidiary of Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).