FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. — Antech Diagnostics, a division of Mars Petcare, announced Oct. 23 its acquisition of Biovet, a Canadian biotechnology company that specializes in animal health and agro-industry diagnostics. The merger will primarily expand Antech Diagnostics’ research capabilities and access for veterinarians throughout Canada.

Biovet was founded in 1991 and operates a laboratory that is certified with both the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

"We're very pleased to welcome Biovet's employees and customers to the Antech family," said Mary Kurian, COO of Antech Diagnostics. "Biovet's expertise in food and companion animal diagnostics both complements and enhances Antech's strengths, accelerating our ability to expand services to veterinarians across North America. Biovet's rich R&D pipeline will enhance our own, which translates to innovative new products and services that help veterinarians keep pets healthy."

The former president and CEO of Biovet, René Lallier, DVM, MBA, will continue to lead the company under Antech Diagnostics as general manager.

"For nearly three decades, Biovet has led Canada in high-quality laboratory services and diagnostic innovation," Lallier said. "Joining with Antech is a natural blend of two like-minded organizations with a shared commitment to delivering innovation and quality to veterinarians, allowing them to deliver excellent, compassionate care to pets."  

In early October 2019, Antech Diagnostics released a “paradigm shifting” solution for detecting chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats, which utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to predict CKD up to two years before traditional diagnosis with 95% accuracy.

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