05/12/2006
Past chief executive officers of Alpharma's Animal Health Division and Purina Mills have joined the board of directors of the privately-held aquatic life science biotechnology company, MariCal.
MariCal is expanding its intellectual property applications into the estimated $230.4billion worldwide animal health and nutrition industries that serve the food and companion animal markets.
Bruce I. Andrews, a former President and CEO of the Animal Health Division of Alpharma, Inc, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of pharmaceutical and feed additive products for livestock, poultry and fish worldwide, was elected to the MariCal board at its November meeting.
Joining Mr Andrews on the MariCal board is Edward L. McMillan, a former President and CEO of Purina Mills Inc., which was the largest manufacturer and distributor of animal nutrition products in the U.S.
Commenting, MariCal Chairman, Steve Morrell said: "The MariCal board is significantly strengthened by the addition of Bruce Andrews and Ed McMillan. These gentlemen are premier talent being extremely well-respected and known by the industry. They will help provide the key strategic guidance MariCal needs to exploit the nutrition and health segments of agribusiness that will return value to our stockholders."
MariCal's key discovery is that of a class of molecular extracellular ion receptor proteins, called Calcium Receptors (CaR's), that serve as the biological sensors or "master switches" that enable aquatic organisms to sense and respond to changes in both water salinity and nutrients in their aquatic environment.
This patented technology also has applications in food and companion animals by providing specialised dietary formulations that enhance the nutritional and growth performance of livestock and pets.
MariCal, headquartered in Portland, Maine was founded in 1996 and is a privately held animal health and nutrition biotechnology company with 26 full time employees with operations in Chile and offices in Alaska, Canada, United Kingdom, and Norway.
