PetDx Appoints Alejandro Bernal as its New President and Chief Executive Officer

Animal Health Industry Veteran to Lead the Company Through Next Phase of Growth

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PetDx^® – The Liquid Biopsy Company for Pets^™ announced today that Alejandro Bernal, DVM, MS, MBA, has been appointed as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. An experienced industry executive, Bernal will succeed PetDx Founder Daniel S. Grosu, MD, MBA, who will continue in his role as Chairman of the Board.

"Alejandro Bernal is one of the most respected leaders in the animal health industry, with extensive experience in driving transformative investment agendas and building unique, differentiated, and fast-growing businesses," Grosu said. "We are excited that he brings that experience and passion to PetDx and to OncoK9®, the first and only genomics-based multi-cancer early detection test in veterinary medicine."

OncoK9 is currently indicated as a noninvasive tool for screening, aid-in-diagnosis, and monitoring of cancer in dogs. Thousands of canine patients in the US and around the world have benefited from testing performed at PetDx's state-of-the-art molecular diagnostics laboratory in La Jolla, California.

"I have always been passionate about the role that innovation and new technologies can play in improving the lives of pets," Bernal said. "Over the past decade, rapidly evolving next-generation sequencing-based testing solutions have revolutionized multiple specialty areas in human medicine, improving the quality of care for millions of people. Genomic medicine is now making rapid inroads into veterinary care and holds particular promise for the detection, characterization and management of cancer, which is by far the biggest cause of death in dogs. The cutting-edge liquid biopsy solutions developed by PetDx are without parallel in veterinary diagnostics, and I am excited to join such an innovative company at this unique point in their growth trajectory."

Prior to joining PetDx, Bernal was the President for Mars Veterinary Health International and Global Diagnostics, leading the consolidation and operations for Mars-owned veterinary hospitals outside North America as well as Antech's network of veterinary reference labs. Bernal also spent 17 years with Zoetis (formerly Pfizer Animal Health), the majority of which were as a member of the executive team serving in global leadership and strategy roles. 

Bernal holds a Master of Business Administration from Universidad de los Andes, Colombia, a Master of Science from Texas A&M University, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Universidad de Caldas, Colombia.

About PetDx

PetDx^® – The Liquid Biopsy Company for Pets™ is a San Diego-based molecular diagnostics company dedicated to unleashing the power of genomics to improve pet health. The company's flagship product, OncoK9^®, enables veterinarians to detect cancer in dogs with a simple blood draw. As a first-in-class multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test, OncoK9 employs cutting-edge genomic analysis that leverages next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology and proprietary bioinformatics algorithms, empowering veterinarians to provide superior care to canine patients. OncoK9 is available at most veterinary clinics in the United States and Canada through PetDx, IDEXX Reference Laboratories, and Antech Diagnostics. To learn more, visit petdx.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Media Contact:

Kristi Fender, Stephens & Associates

[email protected]

SOURCE PetDx