The big news last week was Pfizer Animal Health's announcement that it will purchase poultry biotech Embrex for approximately $155m. The deal will bring Pfizer back into the poultry business. The company also officially launched its Porphyromonas Denticanis-Gulae-Salivosa Bacterin vaccine, which aids in preventing canine periodontitis.

The International Federation of Animal Health (IFAH) also made a big announcement last week, stating that Novartis Animal Health chief executive George Gunn has been elected president of the board, succeeding Pedro Lichtinger. The two year term begins this month.

In other product news, Virbac Animal Health has announced that it will launch its new IVERHART MAX "broad spectrum" canine heartworm anthelmintic in the US during the first week of December… IDEXX Laboratories launched its new "IDEXX Learning Center" website (www.idexxlearningcenter.com), which provides instant access to on-demand training courses, web seminars, certification programs, and event registration… The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently granted full marketing and distribution approval to Synbiotics for its Flu Detect avian influenza (AIV) test strip kits… US scientists at Mississippi State University (MSU) are testing Schering-Plough Animal Health (SPAH)-manufactured Aquaflor (florfenicol) for the treatment of columnaris in farm-raised channel catfish.