Merck Animal Health and Iowa State University Announce new Four-Year Strategic Alliance to Drive Innovative Solutions in Animal Health
MADISON, N.J., February 8, 2022 – Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), in collaboration with Iowa State University, today announced a four-year strategic alliance that will bring together industry and university talent as part of a unique public-private partnership to address complex needs and expedite the delivery of animal health solutions to the marketplace.
The alliance will join faculty, students and Merck Animal Health veterinarians and staff with a committed pool of resources to identify research and development opportunities and seamlessly deploy on technical efforts and projects across disciplines for companion, equine and livestock animals. The alliance will be led by a joint steering committee of members from Merck Animal Health and Iowa State to ensure goals and objectives are aligned and progress is tracked.
“Merck Animal Health is one of the technology and market leaders in the veterinary field,” said Peter Dorhout, vice president for research at Iowa State. “We’re committed to a fruitful collaboration and exchange of ideas between the Iowa State and Merck Animal Health teams. We’re confident will yield innovative and meaningful solutions to animal health challenges in the U.S. and around the world.”
“While we have had a long-standing relationship with Iowa State, this alliance will bring together industry insights and expertise involving various business units at Merck Animal Health with multiple departments and colleges at the university to work together on research and development, manufacturing, new technology, business development and more,” said Scott Bormann, senior vice president, Merck Animal Health, North America. “As a leading animal health company focused on innovation, we look forward to the synergies, collaborations and outcomes this alliance will bring.”
As part of the initial kick-off, Merck Animal Health and Iowa State have already established a first phase of sponsored research projects exploring innovations in drug and vaccine delivery.
“We are excited to continue to shape the future of animal health by partnering with a renowned university like Iowa State,” said Justin Welsh, D.V.M., executive director of livestock technical services, Merck Animal Health. “Merck Animal Health has continued to make significant investments at the university in various capacities including for veterinarian scholarships and internships, research and development projects and facility donations. This alliance further strengthens all of those endeavors.”
About Merck Animal Health
For over 130 years, Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals®, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability and monitoring products. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Iowa State
Iowa State University, located in Ames, Iowa, and founded in 1858, is a renowned research university with a comprehensive land-grant mission of education, innovation, extension and outreach that benefits Iowans and the world. Innovate at Iowa State reflects the university’s national leadership for providing innovative and entrepreneurial opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds. Iowa State enrolls nearly 31,000 students and employs more than 6,000 faculty and staff. Iowa State University is a member of the Association for American Universities (AAU), an invitation-only organization of the 62 top public and private research institutions in the U.S. and Canada. Iowa State is classified as a Carnegie Foundation Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity institution. The Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine is the nation’s first public veterinary college and is widely renowned as one of the best. The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is a national leader in protecting animal and human health. The Nanovaccine Institute, a consortium of 79 researchers at 23 universities, research institutes, national laboratories and companies coordinated by Iowa State, is dedicated to revolutionizing the prevention and treatment of disease through nanovaccines and nanotherapeutics. The Iowa State College of Engineering – with signature research areas that include Engineering Medicine, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing and Resilient Infrastructure – also has a stellar reputation, both nationally and globally.