Animal Health Updates

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Bommeli Diagnostics is now a full member of IDEXX Laboratories—
What's the benefit for you?

A message from Andre Fuchs
Director and General Manager
Production Animal Services Group
IDEXX Laboratories

IDEXX Laboratories officially welcomed Bommeli Diagnostics into its organization on December 1^st, 2004.

The objective for combining the companies was simple: we want to expand the portfolio of quality products we offer you and improve the level of service we provide to you. Specifically:

• We currently plan to support both the IDEXX and Bommeli portfolios, and we will use our worldwide sales and distribution network to give you access to a wider range of diagnostic products.
• Bommeli Diagnostics' accomplished research team and research partnerships complement IDEXX's capabilities. A combined IDEXX-Bommeli organization will improve our ability to develop and support the high-quality diagnostic products you need.
• The combined resources of IDEXX and Bommeli allow us to invest in improving our customer and technical service centers to better meet your needs.
• The combination of our companies will result in easier product ordering, shipping, invoicing and payment for you, since there will be one point of contact for both product lines.

The first steps will be centralizing the distribution of IDEXX and Bommeli products in the Netherlands. The timing for these changes is outlined below.

The History of Bommeli Diagnostics
Located in Bern, Switzerland, the Bommeli Diagnostics ISO9001–2000-certified facility encompasses more than 1500 square meters. All departments necessary to produce distribute and offer state-of-the-art ELISAs are located here: Research and Development, Production, Quality Control, Packaging, Order Entry, Sales, Marketing and Technical Support.

Bommeli Diagnostics is an international company, serving customers around the world with veterinary diagnostic reagents. The company was founded in 1981 by Dr. Walter Bommeli and his wife. The well-known Bommeli IBR total antibody ELISA—the ancestor of the CHEKIT* product line—was the first commercially available test. The early success of this product gave the young team an excellent start. During the next years, the product portfolio of Bommeli increased rapidly. ELISAs for enzootic bovine leucosis and bovine brucellosis were developed and launched successfully.

In 1992, the Swiss cattle population became free of IBR and EBL with the help of a rigorous eradication program and the key to this success was the Bommeli IBR and EBL tests.

In 1995, Bommeli launched the first commercially available CSF-specific antibody detection ELISA. The Bommeli IBR kit contributed to the successful eradication of IBR in Australia in 1996. This was followed by the launches of one of the first CSF marker ELISAs in 1997, the first commercially available BVD antigen detection ELISA for serum samples in Europe and the first commercially available marker ELISA for FMD.

The Bommeli product portfolio, facility and team has grown over the years to become an important player in the veterinary diagnostic market. The core values of the company are team spirit, flexibility, reliability and entrepreneurship. The company is committed to a partnership with its customers and employees, constantly working to make a positive contribution toward improved animal health. Bommeli Diagnostics is involved in substantial collaboration with institutions and universities. Through this collaboration, Bommeli Diagnostics is able to offer state-of-the-art reagents and tests. Its staff comprises experts in the field of animal diagnosis and disease control who are available to answer questions related to diagnostic reagents and the control of contagious diseases.

The CHEKIT* product line (8,068 KB)
The CHEKIT enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) represent the latest developments in livestock diagnostics.

Easy handling
All procedures for CHEKIT products are designed to give maximum performance with minimum effort.

Reliability
CHEKIT reagents are produced under ISO9001–2000-certified working conditions and standard operating procedures. Strict internal control processes, and regular participation in interlaboratory control programs guarantee the high reliability of the products.

Bommeli Diagnostics Product News
Bommeli Diagnostics is working to improve its tests with ready-to-use reagents and convenient protocols.

The latest tests that are available in this new format are:

• CHEKIT Trachitest Serum (IBR total antibody detection in serum and plasma): this test is available now with ready-to-use conjugate, a new substrate and uniform incubation conditions. This test is widely used in Europe (Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain), as well as in South America and Asia.
• CHEKIT-BHV1-Bulk Milk (IBR total antibody detection in bulk milk of up to 50 animals): the testing of bulk milk for the presence of IBR antibodies was previously performed with a special concentration protocol. This process was time-comsuming and difficult to standardize. In the fall of 2004, Bommeli Diagnostics launched a completely new version for IBR bulk-milk testing without the concentration protocol. The required sample volume thereby decreased from 20 mL to 100 µL, and the test now can be performed in a half-day shorter time frame.
• CHEKIT Brucellose (bovine brucellosis abortus antibody detection in serum and milk): the ability to test individual and pooled samples of serum and milk makes this test a convenient tool for eradication and surveillance programs. That's why it is used in many areas around the world.
• CHEKIT-APP-ApxIV: this test, with ready-to-use reagents, offers the ability to test pigs for the presence of any Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype—a new step toward APP-free pig herds.
• CHEKIT FMD-3ABC: designed to detect nonstructural proteins (3ABC) of antibodies against foot and mouth disease virus, this test is an efficient tool detecting infected animals (cattle, sheep, pigs) in a suspicious or 3ABC-free vaccine-immunized herd.

Bommeli Product Availability
Bommeli products are used to monitor disease in production animals around the world. The products are available via your normal direct sales agents and distributors.

In Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America, and Asia, contact your IDEXX or Bommeli area sales manager to inquire about purchasing Bommeli and IDEXX products.

Bommeli products are not approved for sale in the United States or Canada.

You can also find information on the Bommeli Web site at bommeli.com.

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