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AgriLabs enters vaccine manufacturing business

AgriLabs, the largest U.S. animal health marketing and distribution business, is entering the vaccine manufacturing business with a new USDA-licensed facility in Lincoln, Nebraska.

AgriLabs’ CEO Steve Schram says the swine market will be the first target for the new facilities.

“That’s where our focus is initially, is to develop some vaccines that are needed by the producers, for the swine industry initially,” Schram says, “and then we have some technologies with our adjuvant-enabled products that will allow us to develop future vaccines for emerging diseases that are coming and needed to protect our food supply. But primarily our focus will be in the swine and cattle industry, initially.”

AUDIO: Interview with Steve Schram

Nebraska director of agriculture Greg Ibach says the announcement positions Nebraska for great opportunities in agriculture and bioscience.

“Govenor (Pete) Ricketts has talked a lot about growing jobs in Nebraska by focusing on our strength in agriculture—and this is an example of a company that I think has seen the value and the strength of Nebraska agriculture and sees this as a great climate for them to grow and develop an agriculture-based product in,” Ibach says.

AUDIO: Comments from Greg Ibach

AgriLabs has also acquired Lincoln-based Antelope Valley Bios and Benchmark Biolabs, and Benchmark’s ownership interest of VaxLiant. Schram says those companies will continue to operate as stand-alone business entities.