Intervet Dieter Lütticken Award - Intervet’s award to reduce the number of animals used in testing for development and production of animal veterinary medicines

29 May 2006

Boxmeer, The Netherlands

Intervet International bv offers the Dieter Lütticken award to promote scientists or life science research institutions working in research areas that serve the 3R-concept i.e. reducing, refining or replacing the use of animals in testing for development and production of veterinary medicines.  The total funding for the award is 20,000 Euro. Application deadline is 30/09/2006.
 
This international award, established in 2004, will be given to scientists or public institutions that have delivered excellent contributions to the 3R's for the development and production of veterinary medicinal products.  Work regarding contribution to the 3R’s preferably should have been documented by a publication within the past two years. The award scope covers in vitro models used in R&D which replace animal testing for licensing purposes as well as studies avoiding the use of animals in efficacy, safety and quality testing in the production of biologicals and pharmaceuticals for animals. 

Intervet would like to see the scope interpreted as broadly as possible. It can cover, for example, residue testing, new toxicological methods, challenging test replacements, epidemiological studies focusing on the correlation of field data and protection of animals by vaccination, new epitope identification, genomics, proteomics, alternatives to production methods using animal by-products or animals. 

The applications will initially be screened by Intervet at the country level by a selection team consisting of an Intervet representative, a clinician and a public research centre representative. The judgment laid down in an expert report will form the basis for the final selection of candidates from the different regions. 

In 2004 this award was given to Prof. Andrew Hemphill, University of Bern, Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine for his work in the development and evaluation of in vitro approaches for culture and investigation of helminthic and protozoan parasites. No suitable applications for this award were, however, received in 2005.
 
The award is named after Dieter Lütticken. Dieter Lütticken, committed to research in microbiology and virology, contributed to Intervet research and development for more than a quarter of a century. With his ambition, creativity and broad knowledge in basic and applied science he guided and shaped Intervet's R&D for many years. He established what became tradition – Intervet's sound support and close collaboration with basic research. Dieter Lütticken retired in June 2003 from his position as Vice President and Intervet's Head of R&D. 

Intervet welcomes submissions from all life-science research institutions. Commercial organizations are excluded. This year’s deadline is September 30, 2006. 
 

Note for the editor:
Intervet, a business unit of Akzo Nobel, based in Boxmeer, the Netherlands, with sales of EUR 1,094 million in 2005, is dedicated to research and development, production and marketing of innovative animal health products. Intervet's product range for use in livestock, companion animals, poultry and fish includes vaccines, antiparasitics, anti-infectives, endocrine products and other pharmaceutical specialties. Intervet operates globally with its own marketing organizations. The company currently employs around 5,000 people.

Internet: www.intervet.com

Akzo Nobel is a Global Fortune 500 company and is listed on both the Euronext Amsterdam and NASDAQ stock exchanges. It is also included on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes and FTSE4Good Index. Based in the Netherlands, we are a multicultural organization serving customers throughout the world with human and animal healthcare products, coatings, and chemicals. We employ around 61,500 people and conduct our activities in four segments − human and animal health, coatings and chemicals − subdivided into 13 business units, with operating subsidiaries in more than 80 countries. Consolidated revenues for 2005 totaled EUR 13.0 billion. The financial results for the second quarter will be published on July 20, 2006.

Internet: www.akzonobel.com

Not for publication – for more information:
Sabine Schueller                         Tel:  +31 (0)485 587085
Communications & Public Affairs   Fax: +31 (0)485 585392
Intervet International bv              communications@intervet.com