Last June Ceva Santé Animale finalized the group’s 4th LMBO enabling it to pursue its ambitious development program to become one of the top 5 global animal health companies by 2020. Although Ceva management remains the majority shareholder,this financial round welcomed international investors, i.e. Temasek and CDH Investments, alongside with French investors including Euromezzanine and Sagard (longstanding partners of the Group).

It is within the framework of this operation that Mérieux Développement joined as a minority shareholder of Ceva, keen to participate in the emergence of a French world leader in the veterinary sector.

In addition to the funds that the company is bringing, this support from Mérieux Développement is particularly important for Ceva Santé Animale, for several reasons:

• The international presence of the Institut Mérieux and its companies, especially in China, a key country for Ceva Santé Animale’s future development. The Institut Mérieux has a long history of working with China, and has developed partnerships with the scientific and medical community to cope with their public health priorities: tuberculosis, personalized cancer care, food safety, etc., but also fighting against new emerging diseases and preventing antibiotic resistance, two areas that are also part of Ceva’s strategy.
  
  
• Potential synergies that could be beneficial to Ceva through Mérieux Développement’s investments in innovative and/or high-growth enterprises in Europe and internationally.

Marc Prikazsky, CEO of Ceva Santé Animale, said, "I am very pleased and proud to welcome Alexandre Mérieux onto the Ceva Board. He represents a great family with long history of industrial expertise and long term vision who have always believed that animal and human health should be managed all together".

Thierry Chignon, Senior Partner at Mérieux Développement added, "The high quality of the management and their teams, their marketing position in avian and swine biology and the large resources allocated to R&D gave us every confidence in Ceva’s ability to pursue its ambitious growth. We will be pleased to bring our experience, our network and our support over the long term."