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European Commission approves Elanco's acquisition of Bayer Animal Health
"We look forward to turning our full attention to delivering innovation"  - Jeff Simmons, Elanco.

Approval "an important milestone" toward completion.

The proposed acquisition of Bayer's animal health division by Elanco has been approved by the European Commission (EC).

In a press release, Elanco said that it continues to progress toward a mid-year closing, anticipated August 3, 2020. The deal, valued at $7.6 billion, would see Elanco become the second largest company in the animal health sector.

“Approval from the European Commission is an important milestone toward the completion of our acquisition of Bayer Animal Health," commented Jeff Simmons, president and CEO of Elanco.

“As the transaction edges closer to fruition, we look forward to turning our full attention to delivering innovation and an expanded portfolio of solutions for farmers, veterinarians and pet owners across the globe."

Elanco previously announced divestiture agreements, in the range of $120 million to $140 million, to help advance the needed regulatory reviews. The EC’s approval is conditional on several of these proposed divestitures, including:

  • divestiture of the worldwide rights for Osurnia® to Dechra Pharmaceuticals
  • divestiture of the worldwide rights for Vecoxan® to Merck Animal Health
  • divestiture of European Economic Area and UK rights to the Drontal® and Profender® product families, and related pipeline assets, from Bayer Animal Health to Vetoquinol.
     
Mr Simmons continued: “The recent months have only underscored the critical work our farmers do in delivering meat, milk, fish and eggs, and the importance of providing pet owners and veterinarians with a variety of solutions in multiple channels from telemedicine and e-commerce to direct home delivery. Combining Bayer Animal Health’s leadership in these areas better positions Elanco to deliver on these needs.”

 

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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Dechra launches checklist for veterinary sustainability

Global animal health specialist Dechra has announced the world's first Veterinary Green Theatre Checklist (VGTC) to help make surgery more sustainable.

Endorsed by leading veterinary organisations, including the BEVA, BVNA and RCVS Knowledge, the checklist is designed to reduce the environmental footprint of veterinary care, while supporting better animal health outcomes.

The checklist was launched at the World Congress of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Paris and will be followed by an internal training and awareness campaign. For more information, visit dechra.com