Mars, Incorporated Enters Exclusive Discussions to Acquire the Entire Stake in French Veterinary Diagnostics Businesses Cerba Vet and ANTAGENE Held by the Cerba HealthCare Group

Mars, Incorporated today announced that it has entered into exclusive discussions with Cerba HealthCare with a view to acquiring Cerba HealthCare’s ownership stake in Cerba Vet and ANTAGENE.

Headquartered in Massy, France, Cerba Vet is a network of six veterinary diagnostics laboratories in France and Switzerland. With approximately 140 Associates, Cerba Vet provides full animal-related service diagnostics with complete clinical and anatomic pathology testing as well as endocrinology, microbiology, serology, hematology, chemistry, and other advanced tests, to veterinary practitioners. Cerba Vet is recognized by veterinarians in France for its medical expertise and pioneering continuous education program, the Cerba Vet College, with weekly live webinars and several practical sessions annually.

Headquartered in Lyon, France, ANTAGENE is a leading player in animal genetics in Europe, recognised for its expertise in DNA testing for dogs, cats, horses and wildlife. ANTAGENE offers tests globally for diagnosing diseases in pets, as well as supporting scientific initiatives to preserve biodiversity.

Cerba Vet and ANTAGENE complement Antech, the veterinary diagnostics business of Mars Science & Diagnostics, which provides a full portfolio of diagnostics solutions to veterinary professionals around the world.

Nefertiti Greene, President, Mars Science & Diagnostics, said: “We are excited about this opportunity and look forward to finalizing discussions and working together with the Cerba Vet and ANTAGENE teams to enhance our reach and drive R&D to help veterinarians improve animal health outcomes, delivering A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™.”

Emmanuel Ligner, CEO, Cerba HealthCare, added: “We are proud of what the teams have accomplished over the years to lead innovation and enhance services for the entire veterinarian community. We believe that Mars Science & Diagnostics is the right investor for Cerba Vet and ANTAGENE and would be able to support the long-term development and growth of these businesses. Mars Science & Diagnostics is known for its commitment to science and innovation, strong partnerships with veterinary professionals and purpose-driven culture.”

The contemplated acquisition remains subject to the information and/or consultation of the employees and employee representative bodies of Cerba Vet and ANTAGENE. Completion of such contemplated acquisition would also be subject to customary closing requirements following the execution of definitive transaction agreements.

About Mars, Incorporated

For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This common purpose unites our 140,000+ Associates. It is at the center of who we are as a global, family-owned business, and it fuels how we are transforming, innovating, and evolving to make a positive impact on the world.

Every year, our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality confectionery, food, and pet care products and services delights millions of people and supports millions of pets. With more than $47 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including CESAR^®, Ben’s Original™, PEDIGREE^®, ROYAL CANIN^®, Cocoavia^®, DOVE^®, EXTRA^®, KIND^®, M&M’s^®, SNICKERS^® and WHISKAS^®. We are creating a better world for pets through nutrition, breakthrough programs in diagnostics, wearable health monitoring, DNA testing, pet welfare and comprehensive veterinary care with AniCura, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, Linnaeus and VCA™. Mars Science & Diagnostics is a division of Mars Petcare dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. Science & Diagnostics brings together the power of leading science with expertise across diagnostics, data, and technology to change outcomes in pet health.

We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Mars Science & Diagnostics

Mars Science & Diagnostics is a division of Mars Petcare, a diverse business dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™. Science & Diagnostics brings together the power of leading pet health science with expertise across diagnostics, data, and technology to improve outcomes in pet health. Our veterinary diagnostics business Antech spans in-house diagnostic laboratory instruments and consumables, including rapid assay diagnostic products and digital cytology services; local and cloud-based data services; practice information management software and related software and support; 90 reference laboratories around the globe; veterinary imaging and technology; education; and board-certified specialist support services. Our at-home diagnostics offering includes Wisdom Panel, the world’s most accurate pet DNA test. For 60 years, our Waltham Petcare Science Institute has been advancing science to better understand pet health.

About Cerba HealthCare

Cerba HealthCare, a leading global player in medical diagnostics, aims to support the evolution of health systems towards more prevention. It draws on more than 50 years of expertise in clinical pathology to better assess the risk of diseases development, detect and diagnose diseases earlier, and optimize the effectiveness of personalized medicine.

Every day, on five continents, the Group's 15,000 employees sustain the transformation of medicine, driven by one deep conviction: to advance diagnosis is to advance health.

Cerba HealthCare, enlightening health.

Additional information is available at www.cerbahealthcare.com

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