Wedgewood Pharmacy completes acquisition of Wildlife Pharmaceuticals and its subsidiary ZooPharm

Swedesboro NJ—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Wedgewood Pharmacy has completed the acquisition of Wildlife Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Windsor, Colorado, and its wholly-owned pharmacy subsidiary, ZooPharm, Laramie, Wyoming. The companies serve veterinarians and patients in the wildlife and zoo markets. ZooPharm is a veterinary compounding pharmacy that provides veterinary-anesthesia and pain-management medications to care for non-domestic species, resident wildlife, captive exotic breeds, and companion animals.

The company has promoted George Carballo, currently Wedgewood Pharmacy’s regional sales manager for the Eastern U.S., to the position of general manager of Wildlife Pharmaceuticals. In his new role, Carballo will lead the Wildlife Pharmaceuticals and ZooPharm business including developing the team, coordinating resources with Wedgewood Pharmacy, increasing revenue, building and expanding customer relationships, and spurring research and new product development. He will report to Marcy Bliss, CEO of Wedgewood.

Carballo joined Wedgewood Pharmacy in October 2018 as the regional sales manager for the Eastern Region. Prior to joining Wedgewood Pharmacy, he spent 16 years at Henry Schein Animal Health as a territory manager and then regional manager. His first experience in the animal-health arena was with Fort Dodge Animal Health where he was a territory manager. He began his career in account management and sales in the health insurance industry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Rutgers University.

Carballo said, “Zoos, aquariums, conservation facilities, wildlife management organizations, and private ranches need specialized medications for some of the most beautiful and endangered creatures on our planet. Wildlife animals have medication options because we have the formulation expertise to assist zoological veterinarians when these animals become ill, develop debilitating ailments, or need to be studied or managed. Through collaborative efforts, we will continue Wildlife Pharmaceuticals’ honored tradition of formulating unique compounded medications to treat a variety of species.”

Marcy A. Bliss, CEO of Wedgewood Pharmacy said: “We are honored to extend the legacy of Dr. Bill Lance and David Smith, whose career quests have been to increase the care and survival of wildlife and zoo species by developing innovative, life-saving medications. We are strongly committed to maintaining and extending the truly remarkable customer service experience and innovation that are the companies’ hallmarks.”

Among ZooPharm’s products are the BAM™ Kit, which includes a patented combination of Butorphanol tartrate, Azaperone tartrate, and Medetomidine hydrochloride that is used to immobilize a broad range of species, along with a reversal agent; a patented, slow release buprenorphine prescribed primarily to companion animals for post-operative recovery; and sustained-release analgesics and anesthetics used to manage pain. The company is licensed in 49 states.

Wedgewood Pharmacy intends to maintain the ZooPharm brand, while making Wedgewood Pharmacy’s extensive animal-health formulary available to ZooPharm’s client base. ZooPharm’s specialized products also will be offered to Wedgewood Pharmacy’s veterinary customers.

Wedgewood Pharmacy is the largest 503A animal-health compounding pharmacy in the U.S. and has also served the human-health market since its founding in 1980. Compounded medications are preparations customized to the unique needs of a patient. They are created and prepared by specially trained pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in state-regulated facilities when mass-manufactured drugs are not, according to the prescriber, available or are not appropriate for a patient. The company’s 503B Outsourcing Facility, Wedgewood Connect, manufactures medications under FDA’s modified cGMP standards.

In its 40 years, Wedgewood Pharmacy has grown from a local community pharmacy to become one of the largest compounding pharmacies in the United States; it is the leading pharmacy in animal health. Wedgewood Pharmacy serves more than 50,000 prescribers and hundreds of thousands of patients throughout the U.S. every year.

George (late) and Lucy Malmberg, both pharmacists, purchased Wedgewood Pharmacy in 1981; the pharmacy was founded in 1980. In June 2016, New Harbor Capital, became the majority shareholder of the company. In July 2018, the company acquired Diamondback Drugs, Scottsdale, Arizona. In 2020, the company began production at Wedgewood Connect, an FDA-registered 503B Outsourcing Facility, in San Jose, California.

Wedgewood Pharmacy is accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB®) for compliance with PCAB and other nationally recognized compounding standards. PCAB was formed by eight of the nation’s leading pharmacy associations and is a service of Accreditation Commission for Health Care. As a third-party accreditation organization, PCAB has developed the highest national standards against which providers are measured to demonstrate their ability to effectively and efficiently deliver quality compounded medications to consumers. Wedgewood Pharmacy employs more than 650 people in its state-of-the-art compounding pharmacies in Swedesboro, New Jersey and Scottsdale, Arizona, in its Wedgewood Connect 503B Outsourcing Facility in San Jose, California, and its Wildlife Pharmaceuticals/ZooPharm facilities in Colorado and Wyoming.