MSD Animal Health Strengthens Its Dedication to Rabies Elimination with 7 Millionth Vaccine Donation Through the Afya Program
Rahway N.J., September 26, 2025 – MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), today announced it has donated more than seven million NOBIVAC® rabies vaccines through the Company’s Afya Program, since it was founded.
“Communities experiencing ongoing rabies outbreaks often lack essential resources and vaccines,” stated Ingrid Deuzeman, director of Global Companion Animal Marketing at MSD Animal Health. “For this reason, MSD Animal Health remains committed to helping eliminate this deadly threat through its global non-profit initiative, the Afya Program, by donating NOBIVAC® rabies vaccines to support canine vaccination efforts in areas where rabies is endemic.”
The Afya Program is a global initiative launched by MSD Animal Health in 1996, and aimed at combating rabies and improving the health of dogs in underserved communities. The program focuses on providing resources, including vaccines, to regions where rabies remains endemic and access to veterinary care and vaccination is limited. To date, millions of dogs across India, Africa and beyond have been vaccinated through the program, and more than 12 million people have been educated about rabies and rabies elimination.
The theme for World Rabies Day 2025 is “Act Now: You, Me, Community.” This theme highlights the shared responsibility of individuals and communities in eliminating rabies. As a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), rabies disproportionately affects underserved communities, mainly in Africa and Asia. Every nine minutes, rabies claims another victim, but death is 100% preventable.
Through partnerships with non-profit organizations Rabies Free Africa and Mission Rabies, governments, and local communities, the Afya Program seeks to take part in the shared responsibility of rabies elimination by supporting canine vaccination campaigns, educating communities about rabies prevention, and ultimately reducing the incidence of rabies in both canine and human populations. The program contributes significantly to global efforts in addressing rabies, which is a preventable viral disease that poses serious health risks to humans and animals alike.
“Rabies disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations in some of the world’s poorest regions. With MSD Animal Health and the Afya Program, we are committed to eliminating this devastating disease and improving the health and safety of countless individuals who are impacted by it,” said Luke Gamble, DVM, chief executive officer of the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) and Mission Rabies.
About MSD Animal Health
At MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA in the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business of MSD. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals®, MSD Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, producers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability and monitoring products. MSD Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. MSD Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.msd-animal-health.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).
Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA
This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline candidates that the candidates will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).