Merck Animal Health Completes Acquisition of IdentiGEN

Strategic Transaction Enhances Farm-to-Table Animal Traceability Solutions for Livestock and Aquaculture

MADISON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 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), today announced the completion of its acquisition of IdentiGEN, a leader in DNA-based animal traceability solutions for Livestock and Aquaculture from MML Growth Capital Partners Ireland. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

IdentiGEN’s technology combines each species’ unique DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and data analytics to provide an evidence-based animal traceability solution, called DNA TraceBack®, to accurately and precisely trace beef, seafood, pork and poultry that is verifiable from farm-to-table.

Food producers, processors and retailers are looking for accurate and complete animal traceability solutions that provide full accountability, as well as greater transparency, quality and sustainability of food sources for consumers. The addition of specialized, digital technology within our portfolio of medicines, vaccines and services, provides holistic solutions to help advance animal health and complements our existing identification and monitoring technology that delivers real-time, actionable data and insights to help, improve or enhance animal management and health outcomes.

“Enhanced digital technology will play an increasingly important role in food traceability and food safety, providing customers critical information and actionable data to help ensure a sustainable supply of quality food to protect public health,” said Rick DeLuca, president, Merck Animal Health. “We now will be able to provide end-to-end animal traceability solutions at industry scale to improve the health and safety of animals and ensure even greater transparency in our food supply.”

DeLuca said, “The highly skilled employees at IdentiGEN, led by Ronan Loftus and Ciaran Meghen, exemplify our commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals®, and we look forward to collaborating with the team to leverage our scientific and technical capabilities and expertise to shape the future of animal health.”

In April 2019, Merck Animal Health announced the completion of its acquisition of Antelliq Corporation and its market-leading brands, Allflex Livestock Intelligence, Sure Petcare and Biomark as leaders in emerging digital technology with animal identification, animal monitoring and smart data management for Livestock and Companion Animals. In December 2019, the company acquired Vaki, a leader in fish farming and wild fish conservation monitoring equipment and real-time video monitoring technology to advance fish health and welfare. In June 2020, the company acquired Quantified Ag^®, a leading data and analytics company that monitors cattle body temperature and movement in order to detect illness early.

About Merck Animal Health

For more than a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, 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 digitally connected 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 or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter at @MerckAH.

About IdentiGEN

IdentiGEN leads the world in delivering DNA-based solutions which shape the future of food trust. Founded in 1996, IdentiGEN is a pioneer of DNA-based solutions for producers, processors and retailers of meat and seafood products in the Agri-food Industry, with operations in Ireland, Europe, the UK and the USA. Our signature product, DNA TraceBack^®, helps safeguard and strengthen the integrity of the supply chain for meat, poultry and seafood products through the world’s most accurate and precise traceability platform. A unique solution for industry, using DNA TraceBack^® enables beef, pork, poultry and seafood products to be reliably traced back through production to the farm, parent or individual animal from which they originated.

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

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, 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. 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 the recent global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); 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 2019 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).

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