Merial and GenVec expand animal health research alliance

Merial has agreed to expand its alliance with biopharmaceutical company GenVec to cover a wider range of animal health issues.

Having signed a deal in December 2010 to develop GenVec's proprietary vaccine technology for use against foot-and-mouth disease, Merial will now be looking to evaluate its partner's innovations for potential applications in other areas.

This will begin in the field of targeted pathogenic viral diseases among swine, vaccines for which have proven to be difficult to develop thus far.

GenVec states that this agreement will generate royalties for the company and demonstrates the widely applicable nature of its technology.

Dr Robert Nordgren, global head of Merial's bio research and development, said: "We have been impressed with GenVec's differentiated technology and are excited to expand the fields in which we collaborate."

It was confirmed earlier this year that Merial will continue to operate as an independent business following the announcement that a planned merger with Intervet/Schering-Plough will no longer be going ahead.