CCP Fines Seven Veterinary Medicine Manufacturers Rs5.5m in COLCOREX Trademark Case
Pakistan’s competition regulator has penalised seven animal-health product manufacturers after finding that several brand names, labels and packaging created a commercial impression deceptively similar to the registered COLCOREX veterinary medicine trademark.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan has imposed combined penalties of Rs5.5 million on seven veterinary medicine manufacturers after concluding that brand names, product labels and packaging used for several animal-health products were identical or deceptively similar to the registered COLCOREX trademark.
The final order was issued on July 15, 2026, in File No. 476/COLCOREX/OFT/CCP/2023 under Section 10(1), read with Section 10(2)(d), of the Competition Act, 2010. The case concerns deceptive marketing practices involving the fraudulent use of another undertaking’s trademark, firm name, product labelling or packaging.
Complaint by Shahujee Herbal Pharma and the COLCOREX Record
The case originated from a complaint filed on June 6, 2023, by Syed Qasim Bukhari, Chief Executive Officer of Shahujee Herbal Pharma. The complainant told the Commission that the business had manufactured and marketed veterinary herbal medicines since 1999 and had continuously used COLCOREX for a product formulated for stomach ailments in animals.
The Commission’s record identifies COLCOREX as Trademark Registration No. 465002, registered on July 31, 2017, in Class 5 for veterinary preparations. The order also records DRAP Enlistment No. 012101121795 for the product.
Shahujee Herbal Pharma also appears in the DRAP Form-6 manufacturer record for veterinary herbal and Unani oral powder and oral liquid sections. A public Facebook page carrying the company’s name was also available at the time of publication.
The CCP found that the disputed brands reproduced COLCOREX in full or introduced only limited changes through altered spellings, prefixes or suffixes. It also examined similarities in colours, typography, taglines, labels and packaging.
- A one-letter alteration was not considered sufficient where the overall commercial impression remained similar.
- Prefixes and suffixes such as “SUPER”, “GOLD”, “M”, “V” or “LIQUID” did not automatically create a distinct mark.
- DRAP product enlistment did not authorise a manufacturer to use another undertaking’s registered trademark.
- DRAP, IPO Pakistan and the CCP were held to exercise separate statutory functions.
Companies, Disputed Brand Names and Penalties
| Company | Brand names examined in the proceedings | CCP penalty | Verified public or regulatory link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atzan Natural Products | COLCOREX FORTE | Rs1,000,000 | |
| HerBBeck Nutraceuticals | TM-CALCOREX, COLCOREX-C and CALCOJEX | Rs500,000 |
DRAP manufacturer directory
No independently verified official website was located at publication time.
|
| Muslim Herbal and Nutraceuticals | COLCOREX and COLCOREX-M | Rs1,000,000 | |
| Vital Mark Laboratories (Pvt.) Ltd. | CALCOREX-T | Rs500,000 | No independently verified official website was located at publication time. |
| S-Asia Oriental Pharma | COLCOREX-V; GOLD COLCOREX and AR CALCOREX were also examined in the proceedings | Rs1,000,000 | |
| Izfaar Nutraceuticals Industries | COLCOREX, SUPER COLCOREX and COLCORX LIQUID | Rs1,000,000 | No independently verified official website was located at publication time. |
| Hi-Vet Nutraceuticals Pharma | HI-CALCOREX | Rs500,000 | No independently verified official website was located at publication time. |
The Commission imposed penalties of Rs1 million each on Atzan Natural Products, Muslim Herbal and Nutraceuticals, S-Asia Oriental Pharma and Izfaar Nutraceuticals Industries. HerBBeck Nutraceuticals, Vital Mark Laboratories and Hi-Vet Nutraceuticals Pharma were fined Rs500,000 each.
In assessing the penalties, the CCP noted that HerBBeck Nutraceuticals, Vital Mark Laboratories and Hi-Vet Nutraceuticals Pharma had adopted a compliance-oriented position, including stopping production of the disputed products or giving undertakings regarding future manufacture. Lower penalties were therefore imposed on those three respondents.
Proceedings against Blessco International were dropped after the Commission found insufficient evidence directly linking the company to the manufacture, distribution or sale of the product identified as KALCOREX. Blessco maintained that its company name and logo had been used by an unknown third party.
Compliance Order and Implications for the Veterinary Industry
The seven penalised respondents were directed to stop deceptive marketing practices involving trademarks identical or deceptively similar to COLCOREX. They were also ordered to modify or remove related advertisements and promotional material appearing in newspapers, television campaigns, electronic media, websites and social media.
The companies must submit compliance reports within 30 days of the order. Failure to comply may result in an additional penalty of Rs100,000 for each day of non-compliance.
VNV Insight
The ruling confirms that DRAP enlistment and trademark clearance are separate compliance requirements. Veterinary pharmaceutical companies should conduct an IPO trademark search, a phonetic and visual similarity review, and a legal packaging assessment before launching or renaming products.
Why This Matters
- Similar medicine names can confuse veterinarians, farmers, retailers and distributors.
- Trademark disputes can trigger penalties, rebranding costs and disruption of distribution.
- Distinctive packaging supports fair competition and safer product identification.
Primary Sources and Verification
Editorial note: Company names, disputed brand names, findings and penalties in this report are attributed to the Competition Commission of Pakistan’s final order. Public company links are included to help readers identify the organisations named in the proceedings. They do not constitute an endorsement. Any subsequent appeal, stay order, compliance filing or modification should be incorporated when officially published.