HONG KONG'S BIOTECH INSTITUTE TO OPEN
¡@¡@"The new Plant is an important element in our goal to make Hong Kong the city of biotechnology," said Prof. Walter Ho, Managing Director of HKIB. "By continuing to support this critical industry, from initial research to manufacturing, we are ensuring that the industry continues to grow and develop." ¡@¡@The new Plant is designed to enhance HKIB's multifaceted relationships with industry, academic and government institutes. It also permits acceleration of basic and applied product research in partnership with industry such as the project sponsor, Advantek Biologics Limited, which will make use of the Plant to develop plasma-derived therapeutics using technologies licensed from Amersham Biosciences (a business unit of General Electric Company, NYSE: GE), New York Blood Center and Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation (TSE: 3407). The targeted markets for these products include a wide spectrum of diseases such as primary immune deficiency, lupus, Hepatitis B and rabies. According to Dr. Bing Lou Wong, CEO of Advantek, it is the first step of a series of initiatives jointly undertaken in Hong Kong and China to help alleviate the severe shortage of the US$8 billion global plasma therapeutic market. ¡@¡@ CUHK and The Board of Directors of HKIB are grateful that the Hong Kong SAR Government continues to support the vision of HKIB and expand its missions. HKIB will continue to make positive impacts on the industrial front for Hong Kong and new efforts to promote and attract biotechnology R&D and investments. About HKIB ¡@¡@Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology Ltd. (HKIB), a subsidiary of the Council of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, is a non-profit private company founded in 1989 with a donation from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. In 2003, The Chinese University Institute of Biotechnology (CUIB) has been formed as a parallel organization to reflect the direction relationship between the University and the Institute. Since the inception, HKIB has set itself up as an outward-looking, market-aligned downstream development organization and has been the leading force in promoting the development of the biotechnology- and Chinese Medicine-based industries within Hong Kong and in the Greater China Region. Its mission is to advance applied academic research and to provide the vital link between technology transfer and product commercialization. About Advantek ¡@¡@Advantek Biologics Limited is engaged in the R&D, commercialization, manufacture, marketing and sale of plasma-derived therapeutics, and research and diagnostic reagents. Advantek is the first and only Hong Kong-based protein therapeutics manufacturer. To reflect a mission of bringing safe protein therapeutics to patients in need, particularly those living in developing countries, Advantek has adopted "Saving Lives Through Safe Biologics" as corporate motto. |