Yes. Since 2006, the Group has been present through a distributor, but untilnow, the main product was Zoletil. In 2013, Virbac  get new registrations and so the possibility to develop his portfolio on the Russian market. The decision was then made to assign the companion animal products to Vetprom, a distributorwith a strong reputation in Russia.

 

Our strategy is to become a leader on the companion animal market and to do so, we have focused on two development areas. Firstly, to ensure our presence on the most important market segments of external parasiticides (39% of the companion animal market), vaccines (33%) and wormers (11%). So in 2013, we launched the biology range (Canigen CHPPi L, Canigen CHPPi LR, Feligen CRP and Parvigen) together with Brazil's leading parasiticide, Endogard. The launch of Effitix in 2015 will complete this portfolio.

This involves marketing the Virbac differentiating and innovative products based on our expertise in dermatology and reproduction. In 2013, we therefore introduced Alizine for the reproduction range and entered the dermatology segment with the Allermyl, Keratolux and Etiderm shampoos. More recently, we presented Cortavance to Moscow last April during the country's principal veterinary congress.

 

The feedback was very good, both in terms of the product and Virbac's image, considering that until now veterinarians had only known the Group through Zoletil, the most commonly used anaesthetic on the market. The launch of Cortavance helps Virbac to establish itself as an international innovative laboratory in Russia.

 

We are going to continue to promote the product through various communication campaigns, particularly conferences presented by dermatology specialists at major national veterinary congresses, but also regionally, such as in St Petersburg or Rostov. Webconferences will effectively cover the rest of Russia. The launch of Cortavance, through the development of the hydrocortisone aceponate molecule, is also a means of preparing the launch of EasOtic in the autumn. An important issue since almost 300,000 canine auricular treatments are sold annually by Russia!

 

The launch of EasOtic and Allerderm in late 2014, then Suprelorin and Effitix in early 2015 will be new key steps for Virbac. With a turnover of 1.5 million euros forecast for 2014 in companion animals, the Virbac presence on the Russian market is still small compared with the country's potential. Nevertheless, the launches are proceeding as anticipated and every day we are learning more about the specifics of this culturally different market. Eventually, we aim to be a leader in dermatology and number 3 in companion animals behind Merial and MSD.

 

The Russian veterinary market