Equinext and Centaur Animal Health Enter Distribution Agreement for Innovative Equine Medical Device Novobrace™

LEXINGTON, Ky., OLATHE, Kan. and PHILADELPHIA, June 27, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Equinext and Centaur Animal Health today announced that they have entered into an exclusive distribution agreement for Equinext's Novobrace product. Centaur Animal Health will place Novobrace in the equine veterinary market as a treatment for injured tendons and ligaments, including tendonitis.

"We believe that the introduction of Novobrace into the equine market to treat the difficult problem of soft tissue tendon and ligament injuries including tendonitis will serve to provide a major advancement in equine recovery and rehabilitation of the difficult to treat injuries which sidelined "I'll Have Another" in last year's Belmont Stakes. Novobrace's clinical results show efficacy as an injectable stabilizer in both a standalone treatment and complementary therapy option for veterinarians using regenerative treatments including stem cells." "Novobrace is equivalent to a cast in bone injuries but unlike bone casts is flexible and elastic; perfectly designed to soft tissue injuries" states Eric Hauck, Equinext CEO and Founder. Novobrace significantly reduces healing time, helps to prevent further injury during recovery and enables the horse to maintain fitness and freedom from stall confinement while recovering.

"We are extremely pleased that Centaur and Equinext share a common vision in equine health to bring this technology to horses that without treatment often have a career ending soft tissue injuries. This agreement to distribute Novobrace in North America will quickly improve equine and companion animal health," shared Jeff Boily, President & CEO, Centaur Animal Health. "We are excited to see this partnership come to fruition and believe that with Centaur's help we will make this technology widely available in the US," Boily further stated. This technology has been made possible by the work of many here in the Horse Capital of the World, Lexington KY. "These include the Bluegrass Angel Investment Fund II, the Commonwealth Capital Seed Fund and KY Enterprise Fund," stated Hauck.

Novobrace has been evaluated and tested by leading veterinarians across the USA and the outcomes far surpass the expectations of treating clinicians. Internationally recognized veterinarian, Reese Hand, DVM, DACVS, of Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery, Weatherford, Texas, an early adopter of the technology spoke recently of his treatment outcomes in 22 horses to date, all of whom have returned faster and stronger to their respective training regimens. "I have used the Novobrace on more than 20 horses to date. The early results are impressive. Novobrace does what it states it will do: provides an internal brace to stabilize the lesion so healing can occur more rapidly. I am excited about what this technology offers our industry."

About Novobrace
Our patented technology, NEXTTM, is a chemically made internal brace formed by injection of a crosslinking agent which immediately adds mechanical support to the tendon or ligament. This brace prevents further propagation of the lesion, provides better, stronger healing, and results in the horse returning to full work significantly faster. Novobrace may be used as a standalone treatment or as a complementary therapy. Clinical indications include the treatment of superficial digital tendons, deep digital flexor tendons and suspensory ligaments with or without lesion. For more information http://www.equinext.net

About Equinext LLC.
Equinext is a spinoff company of Orthopeutics with offices and laboratory on the University of Kentucky's Coldstream Research Campus in Lexington, Ky. Equinext is affiliated with Coldstream Research Campus of the University of Kentucky, University of Kentucky Enterprise Fund, Commonwealth Seed Capital Fund, Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery (Weatherford, TX), Duncan Peters DVM, MS, DACVSMR formally of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and currently with the Michigan State University, and Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation. For more information http://www.equinext.net

About Centaur Animal Health
Centaur Animal Health was founded in 1986 and is focused on developing innovative diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals that address significant therapeutic needs for companion and production animals. Centaur licenses and develops patent-protected technologies from animal health or human pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Custom manufacturing is available in their FDA and DEA certified plant. For more information, please visit www.centauranimalhealth.com

Equinext and Novobrace are registered trademarks of Equinext LLC. Other trademarks are owned by their respective companies.

Contact:

Ashley Hayes
Centaur Animal Health
913.390-6184
[email protected]

Dee Fife
Equinext, LLC.
859.421.0032
[email protected]

SOURCE Centaur Animal Health