Released on: May 21, 2008, 9:39 am

Press Release Author: Marvin Ng / Siam Life Science

Industry: Biotech

Press Release Summary: Siam Life Science Secures Exclusive License For Unique Liver
Cell Line From Premier U.S. Research Organization, Walter Reed Army Institute Of
Research

Press Release Body: 21 May 2008, BANGKOK, Thailand - A breakthrough technology in
the form of a unique, functional human liver cell line has the potential to become
the new worldwide gold standard for preclinical drug evaluation studies. The cell
line, licensed by Thailand-based human cell technology company, Siam Life Science
Ltd. (SLS), was developed in Thailand at the Armed Forces Research Institute of the
Medical Sciences (AFRIMS). The AFRIMS is a foreign activity of the Walter Reed Army
Institute of Research (WRAIR) which is the largest and most diverse biomedical
research laboratory in the United States' Department of Defense.

Developed under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), this
unique human liver cell line is licensed to SLS on a worldwide basis and includes
the exclusive right for SLS to sublicense the technology for certain uses to
external partners. Known as HC-04, it is an immortalized cell line that can continue
to grow and divide indefinitely in vitro. Unlike other immortalized liver cell
lines, HC-04 was developed from normal human liver tissue without genetically
manipulating the liver cells. More importantly, HC-04 has been shown to retain most
of its normal liver cell functions and is therefore ideally suited for preclinical
drug evaluation and drug safety studies. SLS was granted exclusive rights to these
uses under the license with the Army.

The HC-04 cell line can be used for research and drug development for treating
Malaria and Hepatitis. Use of HC-04 in malaria drug development is especially
attractive because the cell line can support the in vitro development of two major
Malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. HC-04 cells may also
be used in the development of bio-artificial liver devices and SLS was granted
license rights to these uses as well.

SLS intends to make the HC-04 cell line available to the global pharmaceutical
industry for toxicological and pharmacological testing as well as drug development.
"There is a worldwide shortage of functional human liver cell test systems for
preclinical drug evaluation studies," said Walter Beerheide, PhD, CEO of SLS. "Most
human liver cell lines currently on the market are not suitable for such studies,
because they lose much of their normal liver cell characteristics. Our cell line
addresses this and provides a reliable, stable and reproducible model for drug
toxicology studies. It has the potential to become a gold standard among
pharmacological and toxicological test systems for the pharma and life science
industry. This latest development will contribute towards our goal of becoming an
internationally-competitive human cell technology company."



Web Site: http://www.siam-lifescience.com

Contact Details: Marvin Ng
+65 9684-2133
email: pr@siam-lifescience.com