interview
Yoni Pasman, freelance editor
Vaccine development with the support of GD Developing state-of-the-art vaccines is not a single-company job. In the development process of the Avishield® vaccines, Royal GD supported Dechra Pharmaceuticals throughout all the stages. This collaboration will enhance poultry health in several countries, and expansion is on the cards. Matthias Riedel explains on behalf of Dechra why GD has become an essential partner in developing one of their latest products. “I’m originally a cattle vet. In my current position as Business Manager Cattle and Vaccine products, I am responsible for marketing of cattle and vaccine products for farm animals”, he explains.
“But I like the scientific part of it. The way I understand marketing is that sometimes science is complicated, so I try to adjust the essence into a more comprehensive message without falsifying it. That’s my line of work.” Development and consultation Dechra has a long history in developing veterinary pharmaceutical products and has expanded their business to several countries in Europe. The Adriatic region is very important to Dechra as the Avishield® vaccines are produced at the Dechra facility in Croatia. Dechra reached out to GD for the Avishield® launch, says Fanny Nieuwenhuis (Senior Account Manager Contract Research at GD). It’s not the first time that the two parties have worked together. This time, the collaboration was intended to support Dechra customers with diagnostic tests to screen their poultry flocks. By using a tailor-made form, customers can easily submit samples from European member states. And it goes further than that, Matthias explains. “The Contract Research team of GD can help us set up and execute the research projects needed to register a vaccine in the European Union, while also supporting our R&D and marketing team. They have the scientific know-how to help us make informed decisions.” Keen on knowledge The collaboration between Dechra and GD is not just about contract research and diagnostic support. As Dechra’s goal is to make products that are relevant and necessary in the field, GD’s knowledge and world-wide network comes in handy. “The experts at GD are also familiar with the field situation in many regions and can therefore also advise us on the latest trends and developments. They offer us knowledge we don’t have in-house.” GD also trains our sales staff to learn the more technical parts of our work and supports us with scientific knowledge that we apply to keep our website up to date. And of course, GD will be playing an important role in the future. “When we develop a new vaccine, we call expert Sjaak de Wit, for example, to ask which types we should include. This is so valuable, having someone in the field whom you can ask for advice.” Expanding their collaboration is something Matthias definitely foresees in the future. “We have always had strong ties. It makes sense to collaborate with GD.”
4 - Update, November 2021
