Our partners Bioveta | Boehringer Ingelheim

Collaborations with external partners are crucial to drive innovation. Together with the Czech company Bioveta, we are tackling a range of unmet needs in Animal Health, particularly in the field of ruminant vaccines. Just like Boehringer Ingelheim, Bioveta has a long history in Animal Health. Founded in 1918, the company focuses on biotherapeutics, including vaccines, and diagnostics. We talked to Marek Vystavĕl, Marketing and Sales Director and Alliance Manager at Bioveta, to hear about the power of true collaboration in driving shared success.

This enduring partnership began in 2010 with the launch of several new products, including a vaccine for Lyme disease in dogs and a respiratory vaccine for ruminants. But this was just the start. The relationship has since grown and evolved significantly. Marek explains: “Our true collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim means that we have transformed from being a product provider to a trusted partner. We are a joint team that shares opinions and makes decisions and plans together”.

The power of partnership

Marek believes that the collaboration has many advantages. These include accessing a range of experiences, skills and capabilities, as well as the opportunity to open up many geographies the company wasn’t previously able to access alone. While commercial aspects such as global market access are a key factor in their decision making when it comes to partner selection, Marek explains it is also essential to have a partner that is a cultural fit: “Boehringer Ingelheim is a family-owned company, and we are a family-owned company. We understand each other’s culture, and this is important.” There must also be a meaningful relationship with the partner, looking beyond a single opportunistic project and sharing the same long-term vision. “We ask ourselves if there is a future with this partnership and this is the case with Boehringer Ingelheim”, he describes. Due to the nature of science it’s essential to think and act for the long-term, but this also means there will be challenges along the way. “We sometimes have different opinions, but we face these challenges together and solve them through close communication and collaboration.”

A collaboration built on trust

The collaboration between Bioveta and Boehringer Ingelheim continues to go from strength to strength. One of the most recent achievements is FENCOVIS®, the first vaccine to prevent calf diarrhea caused by certain pathogens – a multifactorial condition which is challenging to treat and can affect up to 1 in 5 calves. Transparency about collaboration is also a key factor in building trust. “The fact that Boehringer Ingelheim openly shares that Fencovis was developed as part of a collaboration is unique”, shares Marek. He sees this as a reflection of trust and confidence in the partnership. “I am confident this partnership will continue. We are already in contact to discuss potential new projects”.