Special Advisory to Veterinarians

April 8, 2008

Dear Doctor,

Because you are a veterinarian who prescribes PZI VET® (Protamine Zinc Insulin), I wanted to update you on some important changes that will help you continue to provide the best medicine for your feline diabetic patients.

As you know, PZI VET® is derived from bovine and porcine pancreatic glands, and unfortunately, the supply of this original raw material has been exhausted. As there are no FDA-approved facilities for harvesting bovine pancreatic tissue, we have determined after extensive study that further production of animal source insulin is not practical in a modern manufacturing environment. Therefore, following the sale of our existing inventory, IDEXX will no longer manufacture or sell any animal-based insulin. We know this action can affect the management of your feline diabetics, so we have established a team of veterinarians to discuss with you a plan for managing these cases in the near and long term. We encourage you to call (800) 374-8006 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EST, Monday-Friday.

Please check with your IDEXX authorized distributor as they currently have a considerable supply of PZI VET® available.

We appreciate that feline diabetes is a chronic condition requiring ongoing treatment and monitoring. Accordingly, IDEXX remains committed to the treatment of this disease. We are working diligently to develop and bring to market a new insulin product that meets your needs and those of your patients.

Sincerely,

Randy Lynn, DVM, MS, DACVCP
Director, Professional Services Group
IDEXX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

PZI VET® (Protamine Zinc Insulin) Package Insert (79 KB)

PZI VET® (Protamine Zinc Insulin) Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) (230 KB)

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