Boehringer Ingelheim adds a new species to its Metacam (active ingredient: meloxicam) brand in Europe, expanding the indications of this widely used analgesic and anti-inflammatory medicine to guinea pigs. Following an EU marketing authorization, the product is now approved in guinea pigs for the alleviation of mild to moderate post-operative pain associated with soft tissue surgery such as male castration. Boehringer Ingelheim has added the new species to its existing Metacam 0.5 mg/ml oral suspension for cats.
Metacam has been on the market for 25 years and is used for the treatment of diverse large and small animal species including dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep and pigs. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and commonly used in pets to relieve pain and reduce inflammation after surgery or to alleviate pain and inflammation associated with acute or chronic musculo-skeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis. Today Metacam for small animals is a global brand in animal health with annual net sales of more than €70 million and is the leader in the European NSAID market.
“As the market leader, it is our ambition to set new standards of care”, explained Shawn Hooker, global head of strategic business unit pet vet at Boehringer Ingelheim. “We constantly invest in our brands – independent of their age – to prevent pain and suffering in animals.”
Although this indication for the guinea pig represents a smaller market than for existing indications, there is a true market need as many guinea pigs experience painful procedures and surgeries every day.
“We believe that treating pain is a matter of animal welfare and that it should be standard of care in all species regardless of their size and number”, emphasized Shawn Hooker.
Guinea pigs tend to hide their pain making diagnosis often difficult. However, “pain associated with surgery is 100 per cent predictable and is treatable” according to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association. With Metacam0.5mg/ml oral suspension for cats and guinea pigs, Boehringer Ingelheim now offers the first NSAID in the EU for the relief of post-surgical pain in guinea pigs.
Boehringer Ingelheim will launch this new indication in all European countries throughout 2018. In addition, the company is exploring options for potential geographic expansion of this claim.
Improving the health and quality of life of patients is the goal of the research-driven pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The focus in doing so is on diseases for which no satisfactory treatment option exists to date. The company therefore concentrates on developing innovative therapies that can extend patients’ lives. In animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim stands for advanced prevention.
Family-owned since it was established in 1885, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the pharmaceutical industry’s top 20 companies. Some 50,000 employees create value through innovation daily for the three business areas human pharmaceuticals, animal health and biopharmaceuticals. In 2017, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of nearly 18.1 billion euros. R&D expenditure, exceeding three billion euros, corresponded to 17.0 per cent of net sales.
As a family-owned company, Boehringer Ingelheim plans in generations and focuses on long-term success, rather than short-term profit. The company therefore aims at organic growth from its own resources with simultaneous openness to partnerships and strategic alliances in research. In everything it does, Boehringer Ingelheim naturally adopts responsibility towards mankind and the environment.