Elanco brings Interceptor back to veterinary market

Elanco Animal Health announced Sunday during the 2015 North American Veterinary Conference that Interceptor Flavor Tabs are coming back to the veterinary market.

Interceptor Flavor Tabs (milbemycin oxime) are a single-molecule heartworm product that also protects against whipworms, roundworms and hookworms in dogs. The once-a-month tablet also prevents heartworm disease and removes adult roundworms and hookworms in cats and kittens.

The relaunch of Interceptor comes on the heels of Elanco's acquisition of Novartis Animal Health, which was finalized at the end of 2014. Interceptor, a Novartis product, has been unavailable to veterinarians and pet owners since 2011 when Novartis shut down production at its Lincoln, Nebraska, facility after problems were uncovered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. When manufacturing resumed in 2013, Novartis opted not to bring Interceptor back but instead focus its efforts on Sentinel, which combines milbemycin oxime and lufenuron, and Sentinel Spectrum, which adds praziquantel to the mix.

All that changed with Elanco's acquisition of Novartis last year. Federal regulations dictated that Elanco sell off Sentinel when it added the Novartis portfolio to its existing product lineup (Virbac acquired Sentinel), leaving Elanco free to relaunch Interceptor.

“Elanco Animal Health is thrilled to begin 2015 with the launch of Interceptor Flavor Tabs, a veterinary favorite and integral part of the new Elanco parasiticide portfolio,” says Cathy Martin, chief marketing officer with Elanco.

More than 1 billion doses of Interceptor have been safely administered, Elanco officials say. The product will be available in spring 2015 with Elanco accepting pre-orders now.