Hi Martin,
 
        When Sandoz and Ciba merged they sold the entire bee health
business sectors of the two entities to our new company, Vita (Europe)
Limited, in a management buy-out scenario (my colleague Jeremy Owen and
I had run the bee business for Sandoz previously).
 
As a result, Vita now owns outright the products Apistan, Apitol, Folbex
and our new one, Apiguard worldwide, with the exception of Apistan in
USA and Canada, where it is marketed by Wellmark International.
 
{NB Wellmark is in effect Sandoz Agro Inc. Dallas - same premises and
people, different company as Sandoz had to sell it off in the merger
deal}
 
Wellmark still manufacture Apistan for us (as Sandoz did for Sandoz SPC,
UK previously) and for their own USA/Canadian market.
They do not have rights to the other bee products.
 
Vita is responsible for the bee health products in South America and we
are currently selling in several countries there and at the same time
reviewing some opportunities for effective distribution.
 
The new product Apiguard is a special gel formulation based on essential
oils; it's the way it it is formulated that is crucial to the success of
this product. Trials show very encouraging results, especially against
varroa but also against other hive pests.
 
We are submitting for registration in many countries in 1998 and 1999;
depending on the individual regulatory authority, it could be available
very soon. Probably not this year, commercially.
 
Hope this answers your query.
 
 
Best regards,
 
 
Max
 
 
In message <[log in to unmask]>, Martin Braunstein
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Dr.Watkins,
>
>During Sept. '97 at the Apimondia meeting held in Antwerp, there was a
>pamphlet announcing the upcoming launching of Apiguard (a new product
>against varroa), the brochure didn't say much about the active
>ingredient though it emphasized it was a slow release gel including a
>natural product. Is it formic acid? If not what is it? When will it be
>released for sale?
>
>In a previous message you had advised that after the worlwide merging of
>Sandoz and Ciba a new company would take care of the bee products
>(Vita), however I heard a company called Wellmark is marketing some
>products formerly sold by Sandoz, could you please clarify the
>relationship between Vita and Wellmark and which of them has
>jurisdiction over South America?
>
>Look forward to hearing your reply.
>
>Regards.
>
>
>Martn Braunstein - Malka Cabaa Apcola
>
>
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--
Dr Max Watkins