Merck Animal Health Announces the Availability of Experimental Autogenous Vaccine for Avian Metapneumovirus Type B through Its Agreement with Cambridge Technologies

First vaccine approved and produced in the U.S. to treat this disease in poultry

RAHWAY, N.J., August 26, 2024 – Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), today announced that the USDA has approved the manufacturing and sale of Cambridge Technology’s experimental autogenous vaccine in the U.S. for the emerging and deadly avian metapneumovirus type B, impacting broilers, broiler breeders, layers and turkey breeders.

Cambridge Technologies received experimental autogenous license approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Veterinary Biologics for its vaccine to address metapneumovirus type B.  

Merck Animal Health entered into an agreement earlier this year with Cambridge Technologies, an independent custom vaccine company based in Worthington, Minn., to act as Cambridge’s exclusive sales agent for its innovative autogenous poultry vaccines in the U.S. Cambridge Technologies uses cutting-edge molecular diagnostic and manufacturing techniques to develop custom vaccine solutions to help veterinarians and poultry producers manage emerging disease challenges. As part of the agreement, Merck Animal Health provides its expansive customer reach.

“Avian metapneumovirus causes severe respiratory challenges leading to increased mortality rates and drops in egg production in affected flocks,” said Ivan Alvarado, D.V.M., innovation discovery livestock technical services for Merck Animal Health. “These novel vaccines developed by Cambridge Technologies stimulate immunity with the right antigenic concentration. Due to the use of oil and water emulsion, these vaccines have demonstrated low tissue reaction in birds following vaccination, which has been associated with less adverse effects on body weight gain and uniformity. We are pleased to be Cambridge’s exclusive sales agent for these vaccines.”

Cambridge Technologies vaccines are formulated and produced at its USDA-licensed, 37,000-square-foot manufacturing facility featuring state-of-the-art fermentation, virus production and fill suites.

  “Through our agreement with Merck Animal Health, we are excited to bring our diagnostic and research and development expertise to deliver custom vaccines to help meet customer’s specific needs,” said Jon Mahlberg, chief operating officer for Cambridge Technologies. “Our team at Cambridge is dedicated to delivering cutting-edge vaccines to help address critical needs within the poultry industry.”

            To learn more about custom vaccine products, including the latest vaccines for metapneumovirus type B, contact your Merck Animal Health technical services representative.   

About Merck Animal Health

At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals^®, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, producers, 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, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

About Cambridge Technologies

            Based in Worthington, MN, Cambridge Technologies brings Precision Vaccinology^®, our combination of industry-leading diagnostic technology and fully customizable autogenous vaccines, to today’s innovative veterinarians and livestock producers. For more information, visit cambridgetechnologies.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter).

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA

            This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline candidates that the candidates will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

            Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

            The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

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