Bioniche Animal Health Partners with Bayer Australia to Distribute Livestock Product Line

- partnership provides enhanced access to rapidly expanding cattle reproduction market in Australia -

BELLEVILLE, ON, June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. (TSX: BNC), a research-based, technology-driven Canadian biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with Bayer Animal Health, a division of Bayer Australia Limited, for the distribution of two cattle reproduction products.

The agreement takes effect on July 1, 2010, at which time, Bayer Animal Health will become the exclusive distributor of Bioniche's Cue-Mate(R) and Pregnecol(R) products in Australia. Cue-Mate and Pregnecol are high quality products with a proven track record in delivering consistent results and enhancing reproductive performance in both beef and dairy cattle.

"This is an important partnership for Bioniche Animal Health in Australia," said Andrew Grant, Divisional President of Bioniche Animal Health Export Sales, Europe and A/Asia. "More than ever, beef and dairy producers are striving to improve their reproductive performance, and our products offer exciting new options to do this. A market of over 15 million cows remains relatively untapped, and market education is critical for Cue-Mate and Pregnecol to grow. Bayer will assist us in both expanding the market and in establishing a greater presence within it - the growth opportunities are significant."

Udo Klein, General Manager of Bayer Animal Health in Australia and New Zealand, adds "With Bayer's extensive network of representatives across Australia, these products will now be more widely understood by and accessible to cattle producers and veterinarians looking to boost their business via targeted breeding programs."

Pregnecol is a well-established pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) - or equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) - choice of veterinarians and producers in Australia, and Bioniche is the only supplier of domestically sourced and manufactured product. Cue-Mate offers an efficient and flexible progesterone treatment system, using specially designed treatment pods that attach to a reusable "wishbone" carrier system to deliver the progesterone for maximum effect. Cue-Mate is the estrus synchronization device of choice for a growing number of Australian farmers.

Lyndon Constable, Director Sales and Marketing, Bioniche Animal Health (A/Asia), Australia and New Zealand, says, "Over recent years, Bioniche has worked with leading veterinarians and industry stakeholders in both Australia and New Zealand to specifically evaluate opportunities for eCG use in non-cycling dairy cattle and in beef and dairy whole herd synchrony programs. We plan to continue to invest significantly in research to identify and support high value applications for these products. In turn, Bayer will accelerate the delivery of this knowledge to a wider audience, resulting in rapid market growth and improved reproductive performance for our customers."

About Cue-Mate(R)

Cue-Mate is an intravaginal progesterone-releasing device for cattle. It is used for the synchronization of estrus in cattle reproductive programs. Cue-Mate has a wide range of applications which include controlled breeding programs, artificial insemination (AI) programs, superovulation of donors and synchronization of embryo recipients.

Cue-Mate has become the estrus synchronization device of choice for a growing number of farmers. It delivers the reliable efficacy farmers can count on, while offering a design that maximizes retention, cow comfort and animal safety.

About Pregnecol(R)

Pregnecol is a product made from pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) - also known as equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG). The product has a range of uses in cattle, sheep, pigs and goats. In cattle, Pregnecol is a reproductive hormone that is mainly used for induction of oestrous in anovular cows and in fixed-time artificial insemination.

Unlike other PMSG (eCG) preparations, tightly-controlled procedures ensure Pregnecol is sourced, manufactured and processed to final product within Australia - a certified FMD and BSE-free country.

About Bayer

Bayer is an international, research-based enterprise with core competencies in three business areas: health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. These key activities are represented by three business groups: Bayer HealthCare, Bayer CropScience and Bayer MaterialScience.

The Bayer Group is headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany and is represented by some 350 companies employing approximately 108,400 people. Around 850 of these employees are located in Australia. Bayer Australia Limited is a fully owned subsidiary of Bayer AG and has had a presence in Australia since 1925.

Research and development are key to Bayer's success and, as such, most of today's business activities are based on Bayer's own innovations. Bayer's products and services, numbering over 5,000 to date, are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. The company's mission statement is "Bayer: Science For A Better Life".

In Australia, Bayer has invested significantly in local research and manufacturing. Its focus on people, partnerships and innovation underlies all aspects of our operations.

Bayer prides itself on a well trained, competent and committed workforce and upholds the principle of sustainable development, which places corporate social responsibility on an equal level with economic and ecological performance.

In 2009, Bayer launched B-Green (its local commitment to fighting Climate Change). B-Green focuses on four key areas on which Bayer believes it can have the greatest impact: Greenhouse Gas emissions, Water, Waste and Community (partnerships). Bayer has set reasonable targets for 2014.

In 2009, Bayer's operations in Australia generated $627 million in revenue.

For further information, visit www.bayer.com.au.

About Bioniche Life Sciences Inc.

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. is a research-based, technology-driven Canadian biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of proprietary products for human and animal health markets worldwide. The fully-integrated company employs approximately 190 skilled personnel and has three operating divisions: Human Health, Animal Health, and Food Safety. The Company's primary goal is to develop proprietary cancer therapies supported by revenues from marketed products in human and animal health. For more information, please visit www.Bioniche.com.

About Bioniche Animal Health

Bioniche Animal Health develops, manufactures and markets animal health biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It has product development, manufacturing and marketing facilities in Belleville, Ontario, Canada; marketing and production facilities in Athens, Georgia, U.S.A.; Pullman, Washington, U.S.A.; and Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. The Company has progressively grown by using biotechnology to provide the animal health market with innovative solutions to meet the changing needs of the animal health industry.

The Company has a product portfolio of more than sixty products, which can be categorized primarily in the following groups: Reproduction and embryo transfer products; products based on hyaluronans; immunostimulant products; polyclonal antibodies; vaccine products; and nutraceuticals. These products are marketed directly to veterinarians in Canada, the United States, Australia and Europe, and through selected distributors in the rest of the world.

Bioniche Animal Health (A/Asia) Pty. Ltd. began as Vetrepharm Australasia Pty. Ltd. in 1988. In 1999, the unit's name was changed to Bioniche Animal Health A/Asia. The business unit has a broad base, which includes sales and marketing, research and development, active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production and finished sterile injectables facilities. The Australian business is conducted from two sites: Melbourne, Victoria, where sales and marketing, customer support and technical service are located; and Armidale, New South Wales, where production (manufacturing facility, farm/research and development facility) is located.

Except for historical information, this news release may contain forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectation regarding future events. These forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties, which may cause, but are not limited to, changing market conditions, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the establishment of corporate alliances, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's ongoing quarterly and annual reporting.

SOURCE Bioniche Life Sciences Inc.