From The President

wish to thank Steve Sundlof for his service as president of the AAVPT these last two years. It is with pride and humility that I will strive to continue the efforts of the past presidents, council members and committee chairs which have resulted in this uniquely effective organization.

This is the 20th anniversary of the founding of the AAVPT. I believe that the success of our association is attributable to its unique role in providing a common ground for interested persons in academia, industry, and government to address issues of importance to veterinary pharmacology. In particular, the special symposia of the AAVPT have had an important beneficial influence on drug development, appropriate drug usage, governmental regulation and education.

The AAVPT is now a mature organization. The growth of the membership and the treasury are approaching steady-state. We must sustain the current level of activity of the association to maintain its size and influence, or increase the level or areas of activity if we wish to resume growth. Whatever is done, we need the support and involvement of the membership as officers, committee members and speakers at symposia. The life of this organization is solely dependent upon the enthusiastic volunteering of time and work. With this in mind, I ask for your support as we embark upon what promises to be a very busy and interesting two years for the AAVPT.

- Gary Koritz

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Secretary/Treasurer's Report

e're doing well for dues collection this year, but there's still room for improvement! We have the following "dues current" membership: 117 Fellow, 19 Associate Fellows, 6 Student Members, 8 Distinguished Fellows, and 8 Emeritus Fellow. On the other hand, there are still 45 members who owe dues! If you think you are one of these people, please send your annual dues as soon as possible: $35 for Fellows, $20 for Associate Fellows, and $10 for Student Members.

Speaking of members, does anyone have current addresses for Kelli Caprille, Hector Sumano, Judy Weissinger, Roderick Dougherty, or James Jackson? If so, please contact Carl Aronson or me, so we can make sure these members receive their newsletters and other mailings. We would like to grow our membership, so please contact me if you know of someone who needs an application.

We have $2,101.32 in the checking account at this time, which puts us in good financial shape (with our other investments) for the year. Please remember to add your contribution to the Awards fund, so we can sustain our ability to recognize achievement in veterinary pharmacology teaching, research, service, and for student awards.

Have you started or renewed your subscription to the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics? At $55 for a subscription, this journal is a great opportunity for members. It's not too late to subscribe and receive all the 1997 issues. A few people still need to send their renewal payment, so please check your records.

We had a nice gathering at the AAVPT Business Meeting held in Orlando, Florida - with an enthusiastic group of 14 people. The results of the elections were announced, as follows:

President: Gary Koritz

Pres. Elect: Scott Brown

Sec./Treas.: Ann Jernigan

Councillor for 3 year term (1997-2000):

Dawn Boothe

Mark Papich

Councillor for 2 year term (1997-1999):

Mark Novotny

Tucker Thomson

- Ann Jernigan

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Comptroller's Report

am pleased to report that AAVPT's financial position remains secure. Our investments have grown steadily, though not spectacularly, to a net worth of $54,428 as detailed below:

Account Fund 5/97 Amount Documentation

Lloyd E. Davis Cash $2,208.45 4/30/97 statement

Hilliard Lyons Zweig $20,157.65 4/24/97 statement

Subtotal Lloyd E Davis $22,366.10

Treasury Cash $995.88 4/30/97 statement

Hilliard Lyons Delaware $10,865.25 3/31/97 statement

Colonial $1,100.69 4/4/97 statement

Zweig $18,081.42 2/25/97 extrapolated

Subtotal Investment $31,043.24

Account

Grand Total Investments $53,409.34

Checking $3,018.83 Jernigan, 5/9/97

Total assets $56,428.17

Liabilities $2,000.00 Travel expenses

AAVPT Net Equity $54,428.17

- Daniel A. Gingerich

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AAVPT Program Committee/Symposium Update

hings are in place for an exciting year of AAVPT symposia. Tentatively scheduled for February 1998 is a Special Symposium entitled "Antimicrobial Resistance Development and Transfer." The focus will be on the role that antimicrobial use in livestock plays in the increasingly discussed concern of food-borne pathogens, and the relative importance of that factor in the context of the other critical control points in the food creation and processing. Discussions are underway to make this an international symposium in collaboration with the European Association of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology.

In May, a scientific session at the ACVIM Annual Scientific Forum (San Diego), jointly sponsored by the AAVPT and the ACVCP, will focus on evaluating drug efficacy through the use of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics and other experimental models, and then evaluation of efficacy of drugs acting on various organ systems.

Last, but certainly not least, mark your calendars to be at the Asilomar Resort and Conference Center on Monterey peninsula in California for the 11th Biennial Symposium of the AAVPT from June 14-18, 1998. Dr. Rick Vulliet and his local program committee are planning an exciting series of State-of-the-Art addresses in areas of population pharmacokinetics, evaluation of therapeutic windows, nitric oxide and other endogenous mediators of disease. Rick assures us that mornings and evenings are best for meetings at Monterey Bay, and that afternoons are best reserved for recreation (Pebble Beach at $200/round, anyone?). It promises to be a exciting year for the Program Committee and the AAVPT, and we look forward to your participation in any and all scientific programs now being planned.

- Scott Brown

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News From Washington

Fall Meeting of VMAC

he fall meeting of FDA's Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee (VMAC) is scheduled for November 12-13, 1997. The primary agenda topic for the meeting will be veterinary medical issues related to, and providing the basis for, quality standards for the manufacture of animal drugs, and for establishing the current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) under which animal drug manufacturing is regulated. The discussion will be a follow-up to the deliberations of the spring VMAC meeting (May 13, 1997), during which the VMAC was asked to consider whether FDA should make any changes to its quality standards for the manufacture of animal drugs, or in the administrative and inspectional procedures by which these standards are regulated. Currently, cGMPs for animal drugs are generally the same as cGMPs for human drugs. The question is whether there are indications, patterns and/or conditions of use or storage, or other factors associated with animal drugs that would warrant the establishment of a different standard for a particular quality attribute for an animal drug versus a similar human drug.

Two New Members Joined VMAC

Dr. Oscar J. Fletcher, Jr., Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University, replaces retiring member Dr. Stanley Kleven as the avian medicine representative and Dr. Keith E. Sterner, co-owner of a mixed animal practice in Ionia, Michigan, replaces retiring member Dr. Bernard Curran as the food animal medicine representative.

CVM Announced 66 Significant New Animal Drug

Approvals for FY-96

Among the 66 significant new animal drug approvals for FY-96 were five approvals for uses in minor species and five new chemical entities (approved for the first time for use in animals). The five new chemical entities were: (1) Medetomidine HCl (Domitor) for dogs; (2) Tolazoline HC1 (Tolazine Injection) for equine; (3) Florfenicol (Nuflor) for cattle; (4) Doramectin (Dectomax) for cattle; and (5) Atipamezole HC1 (Antisedan) for dogs.

Antidote for Ethylene Glycol Poisoning Approved

For the first time, FDA has approved a new animal drug for use as an antidote for ethylene glycol poisoning in dogs. The product is Antizol-Vet (fomepizol) injectable produced by Orphan Medical, Inc., Minnetonka, Minnesota, and may be used only by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

Request for Comments on Efforts to Encourage Approval of Animal Drugs for Minor Species

Under the Animal Drug Availability Act of 1996, the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) was directed to prepare a report setting forth legislative and regulatory options to facilitate the approval of new animal drugs intended for use in minor species or for minor uses in major species. Accordingly, the Center is asking interestred parties to provide comments, suggestions, and ideas to help in developing these legislative and regulatory options. This request, including background information and information on the scope of the report, was published in the Federal Register, Vol. 62, No. 120, June 23, 1997. For further information, contact Dr. Bert Mitchell, CVM (HFV-6), FDA, 7500 Standish Place, Rockville, MD 20855.

- Richard H. Teske

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News From the Pharmaceutical Industry

ased on world pharmaceutical sales, Merk has regained the lead among pharmaceutical companies after trailing Glaxo Wellcome since the merger in 1994. The top 25 companies in 1996 are listed below.

Company R_x Sales ($ million) % Total Sales

1. Merk & Co. 13,295 60.5

2. Glaxo & Wellcome 12,729 100.0

3. Novartis 9,826 33.6

4. Bristol-Myers Squibb 8,702 57.8

5. Hoechst Marion 8,399 96.8
    Roussel

6. Pfizer 8,188 72.4

7. American Home 7,457 52.9
    Products

8. Johnson & Johnson 7,188 33.2

9. SmithKline Beecham 6,683 54.2

10. Roche 6,664 51.8

11. Lilly 6,415 87.3

12. Abbott 6,307 57.3

13. Astra 5,729 98.5

14. Pharmacia & Upjohn 5,080 70.8

15. Schering-Plough 4,853 85.5

16. Rhone-Poulec Rorer 4,825 89.0

17. Bayer 4,799 14.8

18. Zeneca 3,787 45.4

19. Boehringer Ingelheim 3,448 73.0

20. Sanofi 3,411 74.0

21. Warner-Lambert 2,500 34.6

22. Schering AG 2,442 69.5

23. BASF 2,309 7.1

24. Norvo Nordisk 1,864 74.5

25. Synthe Labo 1,766 86.9

- Elliot Piperno

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    A.A.V.P.T. NEWSLETTER STAFF

Editor: Carl E. Aronson

Correspondents

Industry: Elliot Piperno

Washington: Richard H. Teske

J.V.P.T.: Arthur L. Aronson

Education: Gordon L. Coppoc

The Newsletter is published three times a year by the American Academy of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Please address all correspondence to: Dr. Carl E. Aronson, Laboratories of Pharmacology & Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3800 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19104-6046, [Telephone: (215) 898-5894, (610) 896-1357; FAX: (215) 898-9923, E-Mail: aronsonc@vet.upenn.edu].