The Zoetis and Jurox businesses were integrated under the Zoetis umbrella in Australia on 1 March 2023. This follows the completion of the acquisition of the Jurox business by Zoetis on 30 September 2022.
This means that products from the Jurox portfolio are now available to purchase from Zoetis and will be shipped alongside Zoetis products. Many former Jurox sales, marketing, technical and manufacturing employees have made the transition to Zoetis.
Zoetis has advised that any forward orders placed with Jurox will be transferred to Zoetis. Jurox products will continue to be manufactured in the NSW Hunter Valley.
There was no objection to the merger of the two companies, following a review by the ACCC completed on 15 September 2022, subject to undertakings to divest Jurox’s intramammary product range, consisting of intramammary antibiotics for dry and lactating cows and teat sealants for cows to Australian company, AVet.
While its operations are based in Australia, Jurox also had regional offices in New Zealand, U.S., Canada and the UK. Financial terms of the transaction, which was announced in August 2021 were not disclosed at the time of the sale.
In a statement at the time of the completion of the acquisition in 2022, Zoetis CEO Kristin Peck said the acquisition of Jurox brings Zoetis a range of important products primed for greater global expansion; a valuable animal health portfolio, including Alfaxan, a leading anaesthetic product for companion animals; and high-quality local R&D and manufacturing operations.
Australia was Zoetis’ fourth largest market based on revenue in 2021 and the Jurox business consolidates the position of Zoetis in the Australian animal health market.
Announcing the acquisition in 2022, Ms Peck said, “We are grateful to the O’Brien family for entrusting the future of this family-owned business to Zoetis.
“Jurox’s portfolio plays to the strengths of our core business and will be a complementary fit with the solutions we deliver to veterinary professionals, livestock producers and pet owners around the world.
“With Zoetis’ global sales and regulatory expertise in more than 45 markets, we look forward to expanding the impact and reach of the entire Jurox portfolio.”
Founded in 1992, Jurox formulated, manufactured and distributed more than 150 companion and commercial animal health products such as parasiticides, anti-infectives, anaesthesia, cardiology and reproduction medicines and other products for animals.
These products were manufactured in its CGMP-compliant facility located in the NSW Hunter Valley. Jurox products, including a leading anaesthetic product Alfaxan, are distributed Australia, the US and more than 20 other countries around the world.
ACCC Commissioner Liza Carver said Zoetis is a leader in the supply of intramammary products and Jurox is a well-known competitor with a full range of established products.
Without the divestment, the proposed acquisition would combine the two largest suppliers of intramammary antibiotics for lactating cows, two of the four largest suppliers of intramammary antibiotics for dry cows and two of the three largest suppliers of teat sealants, likely resulting in higher prices for these products.
To address the ACCC’s concerns, Zoetis offered a court enforceable undertaking to the ACCC to sell Jurox’s intramammary product range, being Ampiclox LC and DC, Juraclox LA, Maxalac LC and DC and U-Seal.
The ACCC was satisfied that the divestiture undertaking addressed the competition issues raised and ensured Jurox’s intramammary product range will continue to compete with Zoetis’ products.
Zoetis proposed Sydney based veterinary pharmaceutical company, AVet as the up-front purchaser of the intramammary product range after an agreement was reached between AVet and Zoetis. The ACCC also approved AVet as the purchaser.
