Phibro Animal Health Corporation announced it has entered into a long-term global license arrangement with Merial SAS (Lyon, France) to share in the use of Phibro's vaccine delivery technology for use in animal vaccines. The agreement was signed in 2012 and is being announced following Merial's receipt of marketing authorization in France for an avian vaccine product utilizing the licensed technology. The patented technology utilizes an innovative effervescent tablet that contains a freeze-dried sterile vaccine virus, packaged in sealed aluminum blister packages.

The technology replaces the glass vials that are in common use today, and offers major advantages in a number of areas including storage requirements, customer handling and disposal. Under the arrangement, use of the technology will be limited to Merial, Phibro and their affiliates.