Working to heal animals… and protect people: the Ceva Santé Animale challenge

In 1999, Sanofi sold its animal health and nutrition businesses, and, through a leveraged management buy-out, 14 executives acquired part of the business in order to set up Ceva Santé Animale. Eight years later, Ceva’s management and employees became the majority shareholders, enabling them to launch a long-term project: to work for animal health and beyond, given that 70 per cent of new human diseases are of animal origin. Ceva has become the leading French company in its sector and the fifth largest globally, operating in 48 countries with 21 R&D centres and 32 production sites. It has developed four areas of expertise: biology (vaccines), pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals (medicines and therapeutic treatments), equipment and services. It provides preventive solutions to control the zoonoses affecting both domestic animals and wildlife. However, there is still much to be done to engage public authorities in this One Health approach.