Counterfeit injectable linked to death of horse

BELLEVILLE, ONTARIO - 06/06/06 - Bioniche Life Sciences issued a warning about a counterfeit version of its Hippiron 1000 product that could be associated to the death of a horse in Ontario.

The company warns owners not to use any of the injectable iron-sucrose product unless it was purchased from a veterinarian or veterinary clinic. At least one horse in Ontario died, and two more have had serious reactions following the administration of a counterfeit product sourced from a feed store, according to Bioniche.

The counterfeit product bears a resemblance to the Bioniche Hippiron 1000 label. The company plans to prosecute any individual involved in the manufacturing, marketing and/or labeling of counterfeited product.

"Bioniche is working with the investigating authorities to ensure that no further damage occurs," says Graeme McRae, President & CEO of Bioniche. "This type of illegal activity cannot be tolerated. Bioniche invests heavily in quality control measures to ensure that only high quality, regulatory compliant products are sold to veterinarians."