Advantage is the Weapon of Choice in War Against Fleas; Speed-of-kill, water-resistance help make Advantage the number one flea control choice with pet owners, veterinarians.

Business Editors

SHAWNEE MISSION, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 18, 2000

One of the most frustrating sights for a pet owner is to see their pet scratching and suffering from fleas. There are a number of products in the veterinary arsenal that fight the war against fleas, but of all these tools, nothing kills fleas faster than Advantage(R) (imidacloprid) Topical Solution. Like the singing pets in the popular commercials, Advantage helps keep dogs and cats happy because they're flea-free. In fact, Advantage kills fleas so well, one could call it "the flea specialist."

According to veterinarian Dr. Jeffrey Werber, Advantage is the weapon of choice in the battle against fleas. "When I see a pet in my clinic that has a health problem, I'm going to prescribe what I believe to be the best product available to solve that problem," says Werber. "Veterinarians and pet owners trust Advantage, and have made it the most preferred flea control product in the United States for a reason -- because it kills fleas fast."

Advantage has the label claim that it kills 98-100 percent of fleas within 12 hours. Advantage also kills 100 percent of re-infesting fleas within two hours. These rates of kill were supported by an independent, third-party study conducted at the Heinrich-Heine University in Dusseldorf, Germany, by Professor Heinz Mehlhorn(1). According to Mehlhorn, affected fleas exhibited "intense trembling of the legs and pumping movements of the body (and)..remained motionless while the nerves and muscles were constantly and irreversibly destroyed..." Within 10 to 25 minutes of the onset of this reaction, the fleas exhibited no activity and were apparently dead. One hour after exposure, all fleas had died. Since Advantage localizes in the superficial lipid layer of the skin, it remains effective after bathing or repeated water exposure.

The Mehlhorn study concluded that a flea need only come into contact with an imidacloprid-treated pet -- not actually bite the pet -- in order to receive a lethal dosage. The study states "larval and adult fleas, which only had external contact with imidacloprid-impregnated paper or with shaved hairs from imidacloprid-treated dogs, exhibited reactions similar to those of fleas actually on the skin of imidacloprid-treated dogs." Because of this mode of action, the study also suggests that treatment of pets with imidacloprid may help reduce the incidence of a hypersensitivity skin disorder known as flea allergy dermatitis (FAD)(2).

With more than 150 million doses of Advantage applied worldwide, it is one of the most proven flea control products available. According to an independent survey, 96 percent of pet owners who use Advantage said they would purchase it again and recommend it to others. Even the most effective flea control products must be gentle enough so it can be used with peace of mind. Advantage is gentle enough to be used on puppies as young as seven weeks and kittens as young as eight weeks.

With all of these benefits, Advantage is the most recognized flea control product on the market. Additionally, it is made by Bayer, a name consumers have trusted for more than 100 years. Reports from AMRS indicate that Advantage is the number one flea control product pet owners purchase from their veterinarians(3).

Dr. Laurie Griffin, Advantage marketing manager, emphasizes that the veterinarian is the key link between pet owners, the pets they love and proper treatment for what ails them. "As a pet owner, it's important to have some understanding of what treatment options are available for your pet," he says. "The most important source for that information is your veterinarian. He or she can advise you on the best product available, whatever your pet's ailment. At Bayer, we encourage this important relationship."

The maker of Advantage, Bayer's animal health group, headquartered in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, is a worldwide leader in producing vaccines, parasite control and prescription pharmaceuticals for dogs, cats, horses, cattle, swine and poultry. It is a part of the Agriculture Division of Bayer Corporation, with the division headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri.

Bayer Corporation is a research-based company with major businesses in health care, life sciences and chemicals. The company had 1998 sales of $8.1 billion and employs more than 23.000 people. Bayer Corporation is investing $15 billion in capital expenditures and research and development from 1995 through the year 2004. 1999 capital investment and R&D expenditures are projected to total $1.6 billion. Bayer Corporation, with headquarters in Pittsburgh, is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $31 billion chemicals and healthcare group based in Leverkusen, Germany.

(1) Mehlhorn, et. al. Effects of imidacloprid on adult and larval stages of the flea Ctenocephalides felis after in vivo and in vitro application: a light- and electron-microscopy study. Parasitology Research, in press.

(2) The successive feeding activity of fleas on pets may elicit a hypersensitivity skin disorder known as flea allergy dermatitis (FAD). Treatment of pets with Advantage rapidly kills fleas and may reduce the incidence of this condition.

(3) Agricultural Marketing Research Services, "Small Animal Market Share Study," July 1999.