Why Attend
Animal Health Investment USA is the premier investment forum showcasing the most exciting partner opportunities in animal health and connecting those businesses together with financial investors and strategic corporate partners.
Hosting this event virtually gives us a unique opportunity to involve a wider array of stakeholders and key participants in the value chain so we can address the full scope of how animal health impacts pet owners, veterinarians, and farmers today.
In 2021, our US forum continues to look at maximizing the therapeutic and commercial potential of human technologies and serving unmet medical needs in veterinary health. Additionally, we continue to be focused on driving investor engagement and showcasing the industry’s most exciting emerging companies.
The Virtual Experience
Top 10 benefits
- Tailor Your Agenda
- More Audience Participation
- Improved Audience Visibility
- On-Demand Content
- High Quality Speakers
- More Networking Opportunities
- Save Time & Money
- Increased Content
- More insights
- Business Development Opportunities - Talk to our team to find out out more [email protected].
Animal Health has distinct advantages over human healthcare:
- The research and development process for animal health products is typically shorter and less expensive than for human therapeutics, as animal trials typically can be performed in the target species at an earlier stage, and shorter lifespans result in faster safety assessment and trial completion.
- A substantial portion of animal health R&D is focused on product life-cycle management as opposed to novel drugs, which also leads to less risky pipelines.
- Animal health medicines and vaccines face lower pressure from generic competition when compared to human healthcare peers.
- Animal health is primarily a cash business and does not face the same insurance/third party payer and drug pricing risks that can be an overhang on human therapeutics.
2020 Speakers

Michael Helmstetter
Dr. Michael Helmstetter is Co-Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of TechAccel LLC (Technology Acceleration Partners).
TechAccel is a technology and venture development company in the agriculture and animal health sectors. The company invests in or acquires new technology and funds science advancement programs with research university partners to assist in commercialization.
Michael also serves as Managing Partner of Covenant Animal Health Partners, a TechAccel subsidiary that focuses on development of “revenue-ready” animal health products for both companion and farm animals.
Before founding TechAccel, Michael served as the fifth President and Chief Executive Officer of MRIGlobal – one of the nation's most prominent research institutions. In his 14 years with MRIGlobal (formerly Midwest Research Institute), he led its growth from 2 to 17 national and international locations.
Michael has more than 30 years of experience working with the private sector and government agencies, including laboratory management positions at Applied Marine Research Laboratory in Norfolk, Va., and program management for the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in Fort Pierce, Fla. He was President and Chairman of startup Brevard Teaching and Research Laboratories, a post he held until the company was acquired by MRIGlobal.
Michael received a Ph.D. in Chemical Toxicology/Oceanography from Old Dominion University and a B.S. in Biology from Allegheny College. He has been a panelist, keynote speaker, lecturer, reviewer to several journals, and is the author of numerous publications, articles, book chapters, and technical reports.
He has served on several boards, including Labconco Corp. Board of Directors and University of Missouri-Kansas City Board of Trustees, as well as numerous civic organizations. He is a contributing opinion writer for Forbes.com.
Michael lives in suburban Kansas City.
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhelmstetter/

Spencer Swayze

Kristin Bloink
Kristin Bloink manages all internal discovery efforts and all external technology evaluations and subsequent portfolio entries for R&D. She has 26 years of accomplishments in human clinical trials, animal drug discovery and development, translational model development and execution, and human and veterinary clinical medical delivery in the private as well as the military sector. She joined Novartis Animal Health in 2007 and integrated into Elanco Animal Health in 2015.

Linda Rhodes
Dr. Rhodes has 28 years of accomplishments in human and animal drug discovery, development, biomedical research, and clinical veterinary medicine.
Dr. Rhodes was educated at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (VMD) and Cornell University (PhD). She has 28 years of accomplishments in human and animal drug discovery, development, biomedical research, and clinical veterinary medicine. She has an extensive background in physiology, veterinary medicine, and molecular biology. As a senior research fellow at Merck Research Laboratories for 10 years, she led pre-clinical biology evaluation of several marketed human drugs. Dr. Rhodes practiced clinical veterinary medicine for five years, with experience in both companion and farm animal practice. She worked for Merial Ltd. as director of development projects, leading project teams developing novel compounds for a variety of indications and headed new technology assessment, leading the evaluation of licensing opportunities. In April 2001, she formed AlcheraBio, a consulting, marketing, communications and contract research firm specializing in developing new drugs for animals, working with biotechnology and animal health companies, with clients in the US, European Union, Canada and Australia. AlcheraBio was acquired in 2008 by Argenta, and in 2011, Dr. Rhodes accepted a position as CEO of Aratana Therapeutics, a company developing innovative new medicines for dogs and cats, and subsequently, when the company became public (PETX) served as its Chief Scientific Officer. During her tenure, development was completed on three new pet therapeutics: two new molecules with novel mechanisms of actions were approved by the FDA, and a third drug had FDA registration completed and was approved in August, 2016. She is currently retired and an independent consultant. She is a member of the Board of Directors of ImmuCell (NASDAQ: ICCC) and the Alliance for Contraception in Dogs and Cats, serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Found Animals Foundation. She is an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate Animal Science program at Rutgers University.

Phil Austin

Michael Rohlfsen

Daniel Promislow

Ashley Kalinauskus

Wesley Wierson

Dottie Brown

Bruce Taillon

Wendy Vaala

Fabian Kausche

Brian Axe

Matthew Salois

John Butler

Kate E. Creevy

Rimma Driscoll
Rimma Driscoll is an executive in Global Business Development and Strategic Alliances with 20+ years in the field. Rimma has a depth of experience in a broad range of global transactions including JVs,Strategic Alliances, Collaborations, Acquisitions, Divestitures, Licensing Deals, and Partnerships. This experience span from small Discovery deals to multi-billionaire dollar divestitures. Rimma guides Multi-function teams on the external strategies and then leads all aspects of negotiations, and leverages external relationships to bring transactions to closure. She has worked extensively in Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Healthcare and Consumer Products businesses.

Scott Brown

Janet Patterson-Kane

Michelle Haven

Juergen Horn

Randolph Seidler

Michael Williams

Raj Duggavathi, BVSc, MVSc, PhD
2020 Partners
Headline Partner
Zoetis
Website: http://www.zoetis.com
Zoetis is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on more than 65 years of experience in animal health, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines, vaccines and diagnostic products, which are complemented by biodevices, genetic tests and precision livestock farming. Zoetis serves veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals with sales of its products in more than 100 countries. In 2019, the company generated annual revenue of $6.3 billion with approximately 10,600 employees.
For more information, visit www.zoetis.com.
Associate Partners
Elanco
Website: http://www.elanco.com
Elanco Animal Health (NYSE: ELAN) is a global leader in animal health dedicated to innovating and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, creating value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders, and society as a whole. With nearly 70 years of animal health heritage, we are committed to helping our customers improve the health of animals in their care, while also making a meaningful impact on our local and global communities. At Elanco, we’re driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching life and our Elanco Healthy Purpose™ CSR framework – all to advance the health of animals, people and the planet.
TechAccel
Website: http://techaccel.net/
TechAccel, LLC, is a technology and venture development company focused in the agriculture and animal health industry.
Since its founding in 2014, TechAccel sources, invests in and acquires early-stage innovations. Through collaborations with universities and research institutions, TechAccel conducts advancement and de-risking research and development to ready technologies for commercialization.
TechAccel is based in Overland Park, Kansas, with offices in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information, visit www.TechAccel.net. Follow us on Twitter at @Tech_Accel.
Start-Up Development Partner
Paul Dick and Associates (PDA)
Website: http://pauldickassociates.com
Paul Dick & Associates Ltd. (PDA), founded in 2010, is an animal health consulting firm specializing in (1) the creation of strategic business and product life plans, (2) product development and regulatory affairs strategies, (3) the conduct of GCP studies, (4) the development of white papers to support marketing and sales, (5) business development and fundraising, (6) the acquisition and pitching of new technologies, actives and products, and, (7) various other supporting activities for product development and commercialization. The capabilities of Paul Dick & Associates Ltd. span the research, development, regulatory, and, commercialization continuum for animal pharmaceuticals, biologicals, vaccines, feed ingredients and feeds, and natural/ low risk health products. PDA is the recognized expert for these matters in Canada, as well as for other global markets.
Event Partners
Merck Animal Health
Website: http://www.merck-animal-health.com
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 range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services.
Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. 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.
Klifovet
Website: http://www.klifovet.com
KLIFOVET provides high quality services for the animal health and animal nutrition industry regarding the registration and marketing of all kind of veterinary products. We support ambitious young biotech and veterinary pharma companies on their way to the top by providing full business and product development management, regulatory affairs consultancy including dossier writing, compilation and submission, and full CRO services for safety and efficacy studies. We are proud on 18 years of experience, well organized logistics, a highly motivated team, and a comprehensive net of co-operators and skilled investigators throughout Europe, North America and the world. We handle large multinational projects as professionally as national ones, complying to national, EMA, EFSA or FDA standards.
Clinvet
Website: http://www.clinvet.com
Clinvet is a GCP/GLP accredited Contract Research Organisation (CRO) established in 1999 and specialises in the conduct of laboratory and field-based efficacy, safety and metabolism trials for veterinary health products.
Since inception, Clinvet has conducted more than 1300 studies aiding in the discovery, development and registration of veterinary products worldwide.
Services offered by Clinvet
Laboratory in vitro and in vivo efficacy studies as well as safety and metabolism studies for animal medicine. We maintain an extensive bank of parasites (helminths and arthropods) originating from the US, EU and Africa for use in challenges on companion and production animals. Test animals frequently used include rats, rabbits, cats, dogs, goats, sheep, cattle and horses. We offer the following studies:
- Glass vial contact assay
- Artificial membrane feeding assay
- Proof of concept efficacy
- Dose determination and confirmation
- Parasite challenge efficacy
- Bioequivalence
- Pharmacokinetics
- Residue depletion
- Target animal safety
Clinical trial conduct as well as the following support services for animal clinical field and laboratory studies:
- Project management, monitoring and quality assurance
- Protocol, report writing and case report form (CRF) design
- Electronic database, design and validation (EDC/Paper)
- Data management, biostatistics and statistical programming
- Serological (IFA and ELISA) and molecular (qPCR and PCR) diagnostic testing
- Specialised molecular assay development
- Animal genetic profiling, parentage and mutation screening
- Genomic analysis of parasites
For more information, visit www.clinvet.com
Gold Digital Event Partner
Boehringer Ingelheim
Website: http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com
Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, Boehringer Ingelheim operates presently with a total of some 50,000 employees worldwide. The focus of the family-owned company, founded in 1885, is on researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing new medications of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine. In 2015, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about 14.8 billion euros. R&D expenditure corresponds to 20.3 per cent of net sales.
For more information, please visit www.Boehringer-Ingleheim.com
Media Partners
Animal Pharm | IHS Markit
Website: http://www.animalpharmnews.com
The only source of animal health and animal nutrition news and analysis you’ll ever need.
Animal Pharm gathers intelligence from across the animal health and animal nutrition industries. It keeps you abreast of critical developments, emerging trends, and changes to the business, regulatory and competitive environment.
We have been providing animal health professionals worldwide with news, analysis and insight for over 30 years, and cover the food producing animal and companion animal sectors. With extensive information on animal health products including antiparasitics, vaccines, pharmaceuticals, feed, feed additives and equipment.
Features include:
Analysis of business and company news
Reporting on key players in the industry
Market developments and trends
Analysis of the latest global regulatory changes
News on product research and development
Expert opinion and analysis
Pharma Journalist
Website: http://www.pharmajournalist.com
Pharma Journalist is a leading international B2B magazine providing the global information and the recent updates in the Pharmaceutical Industry.
Our editorial staff works dedicatedly to provide latest information of Pharmaceutical Industry in the form of articles, news, trends, analysis, market report, press releases, whitepapers, case studies, etc. which helps Industry professionals and decision makers to stay on the top of this fast-paced industry.
Various Online marketing services and promotional activities through Pharma Journalist helps companies and organizations to reach their target audience and create brand awareness.
Engormix
Website: http://www.engormix.com
Engormix.com is the largest online agricultural community in the world; focused on the profile of the agricultural market: Mycotoxins, Balanced, Poultry, Pigs, Agriculture, Dairy, Livestock, Rabbits, Horses, Sheep.
Engormix es la comunidad agropecuaria online más grande del mundo enfocada al perfil del mercado agropecuario: Micotoxinas, Balanceados, Avicultura, Porcicultura, Agricultura, Lechería, Ganadería, Cunicultura, Equinos, Ovinos.
Veterinária Atual Magazine
Website: https://www.veterinaria-atual.pt/
Portugal’s leading veterinary magazine
The Agenda
You can download our latest agenda here.
While we are working on our 2021 program, feel free to download our 2020 agenda to see what we got up to this year. Simply fill in this form and we'll send you a PDF version immediately. We need some information to know where to send the file and how to address our email to you.
Download Agenda
Conference Packages
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If you would like to register a team of 3 or more, please email [email protected] for your discount coupon code before registering. PLEASE NOTE: Discounts cannot be combined with Early Bird Pricing or any other discount or offer. If you have any questions about your registration, please call us on +44 (0)20 3696 2920
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- Any questions about your registration, please call +44 (0)20 3696 2920 or email us at [email protected].
- All Prices are in USD
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- Emerging Companies are defined as early to mid-stage animal health pharmaceutical or biotech companies that are actively seeking financial investment or product licensing/acquisition. They must be engaged with this company on a full time basis. Those offering consultancy or market intelligence services do not qualify for this rate.
- Please Note: No additional discounts are available on ‘Emerging Company’ pricing.
Global Advisory Board
Mr. Aaron Schacht is currently the Vice President of Global Research and Development / Regulatory Affairs at Elanco Animal Health. Prior to this, Mr. Aaron Schacht held a role of Global Brand Development Leader – Pain in Lilly Biomedicines. He was the global leader for product development and commercialization activities for LY2951742 – Lilly’s novel CGRP neutralizing antibody – a new potential treatment for prevention of Migraine and Cluster Headache. In 2012, Schacht joined Lilly Biomedicines as Senior Advisor – Strategy & Business Development for Lilly BioMedicines. His responsibilities included oversight of Therapeutic Strategy development, R&D Portfolio Management, and Business Development for Lilly BioMedicines – Lilly’s largest business unit. Past roles included serving as Executive Director, Global External R&D, at Eli Lilly and Company, where he was responsible for implementation of strategies which aim to leverage novel approaches to external partnerships to augment Lilly’s access to pharmaceutical innovation as well as Executive Director of LRL (Lilly Research Labs) Strategy, Portfolio Management and Project Management where he was responsible for strategic planning, R&D portfolio and project management. Prior to these roles, he was Director, Innovation Center in the eLilly organization where he focused on the exploration, incubation and implementation of new business models and capabilities relevant to the strategic evolution of the pharmaceutical industry. In 2002, during a short leave from Lilly, Mr. Schacht was co-founder, President and CEO of Artesian Therapeutics, a Gaithersburg, MD cardiovascular drug discovery start-up. Mr. Schacht began his career at Lilly in 1990 as a medicinal chemist, and spent 5 years in the laboratory working to discover pharmaceuticals to treat cardiovascular disorders. Schacht studied Organic chemistry at the University of Illinois, receiving his Bachelors of Science degree in 1990.
Sébastien Huron, 46, DVM, started his career in 1994 in Brazil in the Hoechst-Roussel group where he rapidly rose to become the Marketing director of the animal health division. After Intervet acquired this division (Akzo Nobel group), which was then integrated into the Merck Group, Sébastien Huron pursued his career in 2000 in the United States as Market Development director, and then as director of the Pet division. After rejoining the Virbac group in 2006 as the general manager of the Spanish subsidiary, he then became the director of the European region in 2008, and then head of Global Business Operations in 2013. He has been part of the Virbac executive board since December 2012.
After graduating from the University of Pharmacy of Lyon with a Doctorate and from EM Lyon Business School with an MBA, Jean-Luc Michel started his career by creating his own consultancy company. He joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1991 spending 10 years developing a solid expertise in consumer healthcare and nutrition. During this period, he held a variety of senior marketing and sales management positions in France at Monsanto (Searle) and at Johnson&Johnson / Merck & Co where he was an Executive Committee member of the French subsidiary.
In 2001, Jean-Luc joined Merial, a leader in the animal health industry, where he held some key senior roles, such as EMEA Marketing Director of the Companion Animal Global Enterprise; Head of Marketing EMEA; Executive Marketing Director (Pet Business) in the US; VP, Head of Pet Vet Business Unit; and in 2016 joined the Executive Committee of Merial as Head of Global Commercial Development.
After the acquisition of Merial by Boehringer Ingelheim, Jean-Luc was appointed Head of Global Companion Animal Strategic Business Unit and became a member of the Executive Committee of the Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Business Unit.
Ms. Turner has been Corporate Vice President of IDEXX since May 2014 and leads the Company’s Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA) Companion Animal Commercial Operations. Prior to joining the Company, from 1987 to May 2014, Ms. Turner held various leadership positions at Abbott Laboratories, Inc., a broad-based healthcare company that manufactures and markets pharmaceuticals, medical products and diagnostics. Most recently, Ms. Turner was Divisional Vice President of European Commercial Operations for the Diagnostics Division from 2011 to 2014, and prior to that, Divisional Vice President of Global Strategic Operations for the Diagnostics Division from 2007 to 2011. Ms. Turner holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and advertising from Syracuse University.
Dr. Rhodes has 28 years of accomplishments in human and animal drug discovery, development, biomedical research, and clinical veterinary medicine.
Dr. Rhodes was educated at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (VMD) and Cornell University (PhD). She has 28 years of accomplishments in human and animal drug discovery, development, biomedical research, and clinical veterinary medicine. She has an extensive background in physiology, veterinary medicine, and molecular biology. As a senior research fellow at Merck Research Laboratories for 10 years, she led pre-clinical biology evaluation of several marketed human drugs. Dr. Rhodes practiced clinical veterinary medicine for five years, with experience in both companion and farm animal practice. She worked for Merial Ltd. as director of development projects, leading project teams developing novel compounds for a variety of indications and headed new technology assessment, leading the evaluation of licensing opportunities. In April 2001, she formed AlcheraBio, a consulting, marketing, communications and contract research firm specializing in developing new drugs for animals, working with biotechnology and animal health companies, with clients in the US, European Union, Canada and Australia. AlcheraBio was acquired in 2008 by Argenta, and in 2011, Dr. Rhodes accepted a position as CEO of Aratana Therapeutics, a company developing innovative new medicines for dogs and cats, and subsequently, when the company became public (PETX) served as its Chief Scientific Officer. During her tenure, development was completed on three new pet therapeutics: two new molecules with novel mechanisms of actions were approved by the FDA, and a third drug had FDA registration completed and was approved in August, 2016. She is currently retired and an independent consultant. She is a member of the Board of Directors of ImmuCell (NASDAQ: ICCC) and the Alliance for Contraception in Dogs and Cats, serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Found Animals Foundation. She is an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate Animal Science program at Rutgers University.
Alan has been a private equity investor for more than 25 years in roles including Senior Partner and Global Head of Healthcare at the private equity firm 3i Group plc. He was appointed to the board of 3i plc in 1993 and became CEO of 3i Nordic plc, based in Stockholm, upon the acquisition of Sweden's largest listed private equity company Atle AB in 2001. Alan has served on the boards of a number of healthcare companies, including most recently Phibro Animal Health Corporation which completed a successful initial public offering (IPO) in April 2014. Latterly he has been Managing Partner, CEO, and Chairman of the Investment Committee, of Hermes GPE, an active co-investor in private equity backed healthcare. Alan holds a Bachelor's degree in Law, an MSc in Enterprise and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD. He is Chair of the BVCA for 2016 – 2017 and previously chaired its Responsible Investment Advisory Board.
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