Merck Animal Health and China Animal Husbandry Industry Co., Ltd Announce Plan to Establish Partnership

EIJING, CHINA, March 26, 2015 – Merck Animal Health (known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada) and China Animal Husbandry Industry Co., Ltd (CAHIC) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a partnership. Under the proposed new agreement, the companies will work together to share scientific and commercial expertise and explore strategic animal health vaccine opportunities in China. 

“Merck Animal Health is excited about the opportunity to bring together two companies with long histories of scientific and technological innovation and leadership for the prevention and control of animal diseases,” said Richard R. DeLuca, Jr., president, Merck Animal Health. “We are committed to working with CAHIC, to advance animal health in China, a multibillion dollar market with a growing demand for high quality vaccines.” 

Animal health vaccines are critical to the protection of both animal health and public health. Vaccines play a vital role to help to prevent and control diseases that can devastate animal populations. Terms of the proposed partnership were not disclosed.

About Merck Animal Health
Today’s Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, 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 range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. 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 or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter at @MerckAH.

Merck forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline products that the products 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; Merck’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 Merck’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. 

Merck 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 Merck’s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).