Jiangsu Yanshen, a subsidiary of Simcere Pharamceutical Group, has been fined RMB4.6m by a Chinese court for selling an inferior quality rabies medication.

The fine consists of penalties and confiscated revenues from previous sales of the vaccine and is in addition to a RMB25.6m administrative fine imposed by Changzhou Food and Drug Administration in May 2010.

Six members of the company’s former management team were also found guilty and received individual penalties.

Simcere obtained a 52.5% stake in Jiangsu Yanshen in November 2009. It subsequently recommended the removal of its general manager and head of quality assurance, following the discovery of quality control problems in the production of the vaccine.