Virbac’s pet business lifts Q1 as Thyronorm adds momentum
Bottom line
Virbac said first-quarter 2026 revenue reached €384 million, up 7.7% year over year at constant exchange rates and scope, with companion animal products doing much of the work. The company said the recently acquired feline hyperthyroidism product Thyronorm contributed about 1 percentage point of overall growth in the quarter, while North America posted especially strong momentum. Virbac kept its full-year 2026 guidance unchanged at 5.5% to 7.5% revenue growth at constant rates and scope. (corporate.virbac.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the result is another sign that companion animal therapeutics, including chronic disease management categories like endocrinology, remain a growth engine for animal health companies. Thyronorm, sold in the US as Felanorm, expands Virbac’s feline portfolio in a condition that affects more than 10% of older cats, and the oral methimazole solution may appeal in cases where administration of tablets is difficult. In the US, Felanorm is FDA-approved for treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats, joining Felimazole tablets as an approved option. (globenewswire.com)
What to watch: Watch how quickly Virbac converts the Thyronorm/Felanorm acquisition into broader clinic uptake, especially as distribution transitions in some markets and the company works to sustain companion animal growth through the rest of 2026. (globenewswire.com)
Virbac opened 2026 with a strong quarter, reporting €384 million in first-quarter revenue and 7.7% growth at constant exchange rates and scope, with its pet business leading the way. The French animal health company said companion animal sales rose 9.9% at constant rates and scope, helped by continued demand in core categories and an early contribution from Thyronorm, the feline hyperthyroidism therapy it acquired in December 2025. (corporate.virbac.com)
The quarter builds on a broader strategy Virbac has been pursuing for several years: strengthen higher-growth companion animal categories while using targeted acquisitions to fill portfolio gaps. In its 2025 annual results, the company said Thyronorm generated about €27 million in in-market annual revenue before the deal and that the acquisition was expected to be accretive to sales and EBITDA margin from year one. Virbac funded the roughly €107.8 million acquisition in late 2025 and folded the product into its 2026 outlook. (globenewswire.com)
What changed in Q1 is that the acquisition is now showing up in reported performance. Virbac said Thyronorm added about 1 percentage point to first-quarter growth, and outside the acquisition, the company pointed to strong momentum in companion animal “supercharge platforms.” Market reporting also highlighted North America as a standout region, with growth driven by mobility, dental, and ear care lines, alongside the rapid integration of Thyronorm. Virbac left its 2026 guidance unchanged, signaling confidence that the first-quarter performance is consistent with its full-year plan. (corporate.virbac.com)
The Thyronorm asset matters because it gives Virbac a more direct position in feline endocrinology. The product has been marketed since 2016 outside the US as Thyronorm, and in the US as Felanorm, a methimazole oral solution approved by the FDA in July 2024 as the first generic methimazole oral solution for cats with hyperthyroidism. FDA materials say Felanorm is indicated for treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats, and note that approved medical options now include Felanorm oral solution and Felimazole tablets. (vettimes.com)
Industry commentary around the acquisition has centered on access and ease of administration. In coverage of the December transaction, Virbac executives said the company’s global footprint and veterinary relationships should help expand access and education around the product. That message aligns with the clinical reality that long-term management of feline hyperthyroidism often depends not just on efficacy, but on whether pet parents can reliably give the medication. The 2016 AAFP guidelines describe methimazole as a standard medical management option and note that dose titration and monitoring are central to care. (vettimes.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary teams, this is less about quarterly finance than about where manufacturers are placing their bets. Virbac’s results reinforce the commercial importance of chronic companion animal care, especially categories tied to aging pets, recurring prescriptions, and ongoing monitoring. Feline hyperthyroidism fits squarely into that pattern: it’s common in older cats, often requires long-term management, and can create adherence challenges when administration is difficult. A larger commercial push behind an oral solution could improve awareness and availability, particularly in clinics looking for alternatives to tablets or compounded preparations. That said, veterinarians will still need to balance convenience with standard methimazole monitoring, adverse-effect counseling, and case selection. (globenewswire.com)
There’s also a portfolio implication. Virbac has historically been better known in areas like dermatology, dentistry, parasiticides, vaccines, and nutrition. Adding a recognized feline endocrine product broadens its relevance in cat medicine and may create more touchpoints with feline-focused practices. In a market where companies are competing for durable, repeat-use companion animal categories, that kind of adjacency can matter as much as the immediate sales contribution. This last point is an inference based on Virbac’s stated strategy and product mix. (globenewswire.com)
What to watch: The next markers will be whether Thyronorm/Felanorm continues to contribute roughly as expected through 2026, how smoothly market-by-market distribution transitions proceed in Europe, and whether Virbac can translate strong companion animal demand into sustained prescribing momentum in feline endocrinology without changing its current full-year guidance. (globenewswire.com)