Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.
[Yahoo was flagging for a Letter from Ernst & Young LLP to the Securities and Exchange Commission dated June 13, 2003. It turned out that it was just a matter of replacing the old supposedly more expensive auditor with someone charging less. That is at least my guess.]
On June 6, 2003, BioTransplant Incorporated (the “Company”) dismissed Ernst & Young LLP (“Ernst & Young”) as the Company’s independent auditors. The dismissal of Ernst & Young was recommended by the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors and approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. From April 30, 2002, the date on which Ernst & Young was initially engaged, through June 6, 2003, there were no disagreements between the Company and Ernst & Young on any matters of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Ernst & Young, would have caused Ernst & Young to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in connection with a report on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year 2002, if one had been issued.
The Company has requested that Ernst & Young furnish it with a letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether or not Ernst & Young agrees with the above statements. A copy of such letter, dated June 13, 2003, is attached as Exhibit 16 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
On June 6, 2003, the Company engaged Carlin, Charron & Rosen, LLP (“CCR”) as its independent certifying accountants with respect to the audit for the Company's fiscal year ended December 31, 2002. The appointment of CCR was recommended by the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors and approved by the Company’s Board of Directors.
During fiscal years 2001 and 2002 and through June 6, 2003, the Company did not consult with CCR regarding the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, or any matter that was the subject of a disagreement with Ernst & Young or reportable event pursuant to Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
June 13, 2003
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Gentlemen:
We have read Item 4 of Form 8-K dated June 13, 2003, of BioTransplant Incorporated and are in agreement with the statements contained in the first paragraph on page 2 therein. We have no basis to agree or disagree with other statements of the registrant contained therein.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP |
