Boehringer Ingelheim and Harbin Veterinary Research Institute set up ‘industry-academia-research’ exchange platform

Harbin, China, 10 May 2019 – Boehringer Ingelheim and Harbin Veterinary Research Institute (HVRI), subordinated to the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), jointly unveiled the first ‘industry-academia-research’ exchange platform set up by an agricultural research institute and a multinational animal health company in China. As the first milestone in the long-term strategic partnership between the two parties, the exchange platform will leverage forward-looking insights, professionalism and globalisation advantages of Boehringer Ingelheim and HVRI in the animal health sector. It is committed to training top-level global veterinary professionals, fostering the integration of industry, academia and research, and promoting the sustainable development of the animal health industry in China.

With rapid growth of education and science in China, one major task is to better engage industry players and research institutes to accelerate the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. The establishment of this exchange platform is a strong action to China’s call for integrated ‘industry-academia-research’ and collaborative innovation.

Dr. Bu Zhigao, Director of HVRI, said: “As the world’s leading animal health company, Boehringer Ingelheim has forward-looking insights and strong research and development capabilities. With this exchange platform, we expect to foster the integration of teaching, research and production, while cultivate postgraduates with international vision and innovate our R&D resources, thus effectively gearing up growth of China’s animal health industry.”

This exchange platform will launch an early-stage training mechanism for high-end veterinary professionals. Boehringer Ingelheim will provide updates on cutting-edge global technology, while jointly drafting talent training programmes and giving lectures to help HVRI cultivate top global talent in the veterinary field. Each year, HVRI will select 30 students to be enrolled into the Boehringer Ingelheim Experimental Class. Outstanding graduates in the class will be recommended by the exchange platform to join the Boehringer Ingelheim’s talent pool for recruitment. In addition, as all postgraduate candidates with College of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of CAAS spend their first year in HVRI, they will also benefit from the joint talent training mechanism on the exchange platform.

The platform will also facilitate the transformation of research results. Boehringer Ingelheim and HVRI will conduct continuous and in-depth exchanges in scientific research in four animal species (pigs, horses, poultry and ruminants) and zoonosis. The aim is to embed global industry perspectives into R&D and ensure effective interaction to achieve strategic cooperation between the two parties on a global scale, and ultimately to promote international cooperation to address disease prevention and control in China’s animal husbandry industry. The research fields that have been identified by the two sides include: the pathogen of swine diseases and related epidemics, main epidemic diseases in poultry, equine infectious anemia, development and application of biological products for cattle and sheep, as well as zoonotic diseases.

Dr. Stephan Lange, Head of Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim Greater China, shared: “As a research-driven global leading animal health company, Boehringer Ingelheim is honoured to collaborate with Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, which has strong research capabilities. We hope that both parties will contribute to the improvement of animal health and human health via talent development and scientific research exchanges, and boost the upgrading of China’s animal health industry. I believe that the establishment of this platform also deepens the scientific research exchanges and talent development cooperation in the veterinary fields between China and Germany.”

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Business Unit

Boehringer Ingelheim is the second largest animal health business in the world, with net sales of almost 4 billion euros in 2018 and presence in more than 150 markets.

Across the globe, our 10,000 employees create the future of animal wellbeing through their daily work. We believe in prevention over treatment and therefore, we focus on developing innovative solutions in the field of vaccines, parasiticides and therapeutics. With a large portfolio of advanced, preventive healthcare products, tools and services, we support our customers in taking care of the health of their animals.

For more information visit: www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/animal-health/overview

Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences is the host to the State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology and College of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of CAAS. It has the only Level 4 facility for large animal biosafety in China – National Animal Disease Prevention and Control High-Level Biosafety Laboratory. Since its establishment 70 years ago, it has made key scientific contributions to the control and elimination of rinderpest, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia and equine infectious anemia, and the successful development of the attenuated vaccine for hog cholera lapinized virus. The institute has also made outstanding contributions in research and prevention and control of avian flu, and played a key role in scientific research to support SARS prevention and control. It has been supporting the prevention and control of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and piglet diarrhea.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Improving the health of humans and animals is the goal of the research-driven pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The focus in doing so is on diseases for which no satisfactory treatment option exists to date. The company therefore concentrates on developing innovative therapies that can extend patients’ lives. In animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim stands for advanced prevention.

Family-owned since it was established in 1885, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the pharmaceutical industry’s top 20 companies. Some 50,000 employees create value through innovation daily for the three business areas human pharmaceuticals, animal health and biopharmaceuticals. In 2018, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of around 17.5 billion euros. R&D expenditure of almost 3.2 billion euros, corresponded to 18.1 per cent of net sales.

As a family-owned company, Boehringer Ingelheim plans in generations and focuses on long-term success. The company therefore aims at organic growth from its own resources with simultaneous openness to partnerships and strategic alliances in research. In everything it does, Boehringer Ingelheim naturally adopts responsibility towards mankind and the environment.

More information about Boehringer Ingelheim can be found on www.boehringer-ingelheim.com or in our annual report: http://annualreport.boehringer-ingelheim.com. 

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