pet medicine Follow

French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis SA has completed its $4 billion purchase of Merck & Co.'s half interest in their veterinary medicine business, Merial Ltd., the companies said Friday. The move was required by regulators before Merck can close its $41 billion purchase of New Jersey neighbor Schering-Plough Corp., which also sells animal health products. Merial, a joint venture founded in 1997, sells two widely used pet medicines, flea-and-tick blocker Frontline and chewable heartworm preventer Heartgard. It also sells Ivomec, which kills parasites in hogs and cattle, and other medicines and vaccines for livestock.