In <strong>2007</strong>, this area recorded marked progressin companion animal business.The launch of Iverhart Max in the United States, anew-generation wormer for treating heartworm andintestinal parasites, largely explains the 7.1%growth in sales, despite the unfavourable trendof exchange rates.18 • <strong>2007</strong> ANNUAL REPORT
NorthAmericaSynergy between the United Statesand Europe: teams pooling their effortsto favour developmentResponsiveness and originality of the R&D approach are theessential differentiating factorsSince its formation,<strong>Virbac</strong>’s innovating performance has beenbased on an original customer-orientated process connectingthe three dimensions: Research, Development and Licensing.Listening to market requirements, responsiveness and originalityof approach are the factors determining the success of <strong>Virbac</strong>’sinnovations.The definition of a global R&D strategy in companion animalsIn <strong>2007</strong>, observation of the companion animal marketencouraged <strong>Virbac</strong> to pool the human and <strong>financial</strong> resourcesof the American and European structures and to build aportfolio of joint projects. This synergy satisfied the twofoldpurpose of Group strategy but also a reality of the veterinarymarket.Since the United States is the leading companion animalmarket, a substantial proportion of <strong>Virbac</strong>’s growth shouldcome from this area. Moreover, on an increasingly more globalcompanion animal market, each product developed aspires tobecoming a true world project.Focus on the strategy and reorganisation of the R&D unitOne of the main stakes in American R&D is to support existingranges while favouring the development of new products,aiming at 4 projects with strong potential with no marketingauthorisation* and 8 projects with marketing authorisation inportfolio. To adapt to this new strategy, the American R&DDepartment plans to expand its employees and thus create5 new technical positions. Moreover, since the summer of<strong>2007</strong>, collaboration between the American and EuropeanR&D structures has increased with a functional and operationalreorganisation of the two teams favouring exchanges andsynergies.Iverhart Max TM ,the most complete treatmentfor parasites in dogsIn the United States, dog owners haveknown for a long time that their animalsneed to be protected againstheartworm. This parasite, transmittedto dogs by mosquito bites, can developand cause death in infested animals.Most treatments offered also combineprotection against several intestinalworms but, until now, only providedprotection against roundworms and didnot treat tapeworms.In <strong>2007</strong>,<strong>Virbac</strong> launched Iverhart Max TM ,a new combination of 3 molecules,allowing parasite heartworms,roundworms and tapeworms to betreated simultaneously for the first time.By organising conferences and symposia,obtaining the support of opinion leadersand communication with theprofessional press,<strong>Virbac</strong> offered a vastamount of information on this type ofvery common infection in companionanimals at the time of the launch.The product differentiation, combinedwith strong commercial and marketingsupport, particularly in regions such asFlorida where there is strong pressurefor combating parasites, explains thesuccess of this product.<strong>2007</strong> ANNUAL REPORT • 19
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