Stem Cell Clinical Test Facility Launched

By Kim Tae-gyu

Staff Reporter

November 7, 2005

The Korean government seeks to accelerate stem cell therapy and interspecies organ transplantation to humans by setting up a large-sized facility geared toward pre-clinical tests of such futuristic cures.

The Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) Monday launched the Korea National Primate Research Center (KNPRC) in Chongwon, North Chungchong Province.

The state-backed KRIBB spent 7.8 billion won to build the facility on a 33,000-pyong (108,900 square meters) area. The building is equipped with a near-natural environment to raise primates for a variety of pre-clinical experiments.

The KNPRC is currently housing about 80 primates, composed of various monkeys, chimpanzees and gorillas and plans to increase the headcount 10 fold by 2008.

In particular, the KNPRC is breeding some 50 monkeys, which will be used for research of stem cell and pig organ transplantation to humans by professor Hwang Woo-suk at Seoul National University.

``This center will play a major role in boosting Korea's bio-industry. Especially Hwang would be able to conduct pre-clinical tests with monkeys here,'' a KRIBB official said.

The pre-clinical tests refer to a laboratory test of a new drug or a new invasive medical device on animals, tailored to get evidences justifying a clinical trial.

Hwang became globally famous after he cloned human somatic cells and extracted an embryonic stem cell line from them for the first time in the world in early 2003.

He now plans to differentiate the stem cells into specific cells with an aim to deal with otherwise incurable diseases like diabetes and spinal cord injury.

Hwang is also experimenting with germ-free miniature pigs, which will provide organs to humans.

To apply the technologies to humans, Hwang is required to carry out pre-clinical trials and monkeys at the KNPRC will be the object of the tests.

Meanwhile, Hwang was supposed to participate in a meeting with a Japanese scientist early yesterday morning at Seoul National University, but they left the university together without holding the meeting there, after finding out reporters were waiting to meet Hwang. Hwang and the scientist held their unofficial meeting at another location.

Hwang appeared to think the host of the meeting, a domestic bio-venture start-up CrystalGenomics, is trying to take advantage of Hwang's fame before the firm goes public next month.

``As far as we know, Hwang felt hesitant to participate in an official meeting arranged by a company that will start an initial public offering next month,'' an insider at CrystalGenomics said.

Copyright © 2005 Hankooki.com.

This article posted November 29, 2005.