| Contact: |
Jon
Sendach
The Rowland Co.
(212) 527-8831 |
Janice
Keene
Merial
(732) 729-5000
|
Rolex
Three-Day Event Features GASTROGARD®(omeprazole)
Equine Ulcer Briefing
Lexington,
KY, May 1, 2000 -- The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event was
the most recent venue for Merial's 2000 Equine Health Tour to
raise awareness of the importance of equine health and its impact
on performance. Merial, the world's leading animal healthcare
company was on-site as a corporate sponsor and provided horsemen
with valuable horse health information.
Merial
is the maker of GASTROGARD (omeprazole) Paste, the first and only
equine gastric ulcer medication approved by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration for the treatment of ulcers in horses. Rolex
was chosen as a stop for Merial's growing equine health education
campaign designed to educate performance horse owners, riders,
and trainers about the dangers of equine gastric ulcer syndrome
(EGUS), which affects nearly 60 percent of show horses.
Merial's
presence at Rolex Kentucky, America's only four-star event and
a U.S. Equestrian Team (USET) Selection Trial for the 2000 Olympic
Games Eventing Squad, bolsters its already strong commitment to
animal health nationwide. "The performance horsemen and horsewomen,
who invest so much valuable time and energy into their horses,
are becoming more aware of the devastating effects ulcers can
have on the overall health and temperament of horses," explained
Duane Maye, DVM, manager, Veterinary Professional Services, Merial,
from his post in the GASTROGARD information booth. As part of
Merial's program on-site, Dr. Maye met with riders, trainers,
and owners and provided short, informal presentations that highlighted
common symptoms of EGUS and current therapies.
"Optimal
healthcare is an important component of any competitive athlete's
regimen. Merial is pleased to bring this information to the performance
community to assist horse owners and trainers in keeping their
equine athletes in shape for peak performance," Dr. Maye said.
Merial
is the world's leading animal healthcare company dedicated to
the research, development, manufacture and delivery of innovative
pharmaceuticals and vaccines for use by veterinarians, food-animal
producers and pet owners to improve the health, well-being and
performance of all animal species. The company is also market
leader in the development and production of poultry breeding stock.
With its worldwide headquarters in London, Merial employs around
6,500 people and operates in more than 150 countries. Total 1999
sales exceeded US$1.68 billion. Merial is jointly owned by Merck
and Co. Inc. and Aventis S.A.
Merial
also markets EQVALAN (ivermectin) and a range of equine vaccines.
For more information on GASTROGARD and Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome,
please visit the web sites http://www.gastrogard.com and http://www.egus.org,
or call toll free (877) GASTROGARD.
#
# #
¨GASTROGARD
is a registered trademark of the AstraZeneca Group of Companies.
¨EQVALAN is a registered trademark of Merial Limited.
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