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Anifera introduces new board members
The Board members are experienced animal health and pharmaceutical professionals.
“We’re very pleased by the strong team we’ve assembled to lead the business” - Dr Gwynneth Thomas.

New animal health firm Anifera has announced the appointment of four experienced animal health and pharmaceutical professionals to its board.

Anifera aims to be the innovator and leader in researching and developing solutions for adjunct therapy with antibiotics. The company was formed by Swiss-based Stonehaven Incubate and Agile Sciences in September 2020. 

The new Board members include Tony Benitz, Mark Heffernan, Malcolm Thomas and Simon Wheeler, each of which has extensive knowledge of the animal health sector.

Stonehaven Incubate Venture partner, Dr Gwynneth Thomas, said: “We’re very pleased by the strong team we’ve assembled to lead the business. As well as their extensive experience, they possess a range of complementary skills. They are excited by the opportunities Anifera’s technology provides in the livestock and companion animal industries and are looking forward to leading the company to success.” 

Benitz joins the Board following a 35-year career in animal health where he served in senior roles in research and development in several companies, including Global Head of R&D for Pharmacia Animal Health and Novartis Animal Health. A senior advisor at Stonehaven Consulting, his experience includes bringing a range of new therapeutics and vaccines for animals to the market and working closely with regulatory agencies in numerous international markets.

Heffernan is is the CEO of Stonehaven Incubate and has spent almost two decades as co-founder and CEO in private and public companies. He is experienced in human biotechnology start-ups and animal health R&D companies, building successful global teams to execute drug discovery and development and raising more than $150m in private and public capital.

Before his role as CEO of Agile Sciences, Thomas was president and CEO of Arbovax, a biotechnology company commercialising technology that can be used to make vaccines against insect-borne viral diseases. He has held roles including vice president of operations for StemCo Biomedical and director of international marketing for Bayer Biologicals. 

The CEO of animal diagnostics company, Vetsina, Wheeler is a veterinary surgeon and strategic leader with more than 20 years’ experience in the global animal health industry. He has reached senior positions in clinical veterinary academia in the UK and US, lecturing at international meetings, conducting research, and publishing three books, more than 125 articles and mentoring trainees.

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FIVP launches CMA remedies survey

News Story 1
 FIVP has shared a survey, inviting those working in independent practice to share their views on the CMA's proposed remedies.

The Impact Assessment will help inform the group's response to the CMA, as it prepares to submit further evidence to the Inquiry Group. FIVP will also be attending a hearing in November.

Data will be anonymised and used solely for FIVP's response to the CMA. The survey will close on Friday, 31 October 2025. 

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News Shorts
CMA to host webinar exploring provisional decisions

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is to host a webinar for veterinary professionals to explain the details of its provisional decisions, released on 15 October 2025.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, 29 October 2025 from 1.00pm to 2.00pm.

Officials will discuss the changes which those in practice may need to make if the provisional remedies go ahead. They will also share what happens next with the investigation.

The CMA will be answering questions from the main parties of the investigation, as well as other questions submitted ahead of the webinar.

Attendees can register here before Wednesday, 29 October at 11am. Questions must be submitted before 10am on 27 October.

A recording of the webinar will be accessible after the event.