Canadian University Press Releases/Newswire

Source: University of Western Ontario
http://communications.uwo.ca/media_newsroom/story.html?listing_id=22048

CLINICAL TRIALS NEXT FOR HIV/AIDS VACCINE; KOREAN BIOTECH COMPANY MAKING IT HAPPEN

October 17, 2006

London,
ON. - An HIV/AIDS vaccine developed by Dr. Yong Kang, a virology professor
at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western
Ontario is being readied for clinical trial. Kang's vaccine could be
available for therapeutic use within three years and for use as a preventive
vaccine within the next six years.

Korean-based Curocom Co. Ltd. today announced the opening of Curocom Canada
at Western's Research Park in London, Ontario. Its close proximity to Kang's
laboratory at Western will significantly accelerate the commercialization
process of the HIV vaccine program. Curocom is currently outsourcing the
manufacturing of the HIV vaccine to Advanced BioScience Laboratories, a cGMP
(good manufacturing practice) facility in the U.S., to prepare the vaccine
for human clinical trials. This now clears the way for Kang to seek FDA
approval for clinical trials. He is confident it will be granted.

The vaccine has proven to stimulate protective immune responses in animals,
and holds tremendous promise. It is based on the production of virus-like
particles known as pseudovirions to produce protective immune responses.

"Dr. Kang has been issued one of only a few HIV vaccine patents in the world
and has developed one of a handful of technologies to make it this far in a
process where dozens of other potential vaccines from much larger
institutions have failed," says Ted Hewitt, Vice-President, Research and
International Relations, The University of Western Ontario. Western and Dr.
Kang currently hold issued patents for the vaccine, in both the U.S. and for
ARIPO - the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization. World-wide
patent protection is pending.

"We are very happy to work together with Professor Kang and do our best to
support his research and development," says Dr. Dong Joon Kim, President and
CEO of Curocom Co., Ltd. Curocom Co. Ltd. has multiple subsidiaries focusing
on Information Technology, Biotechnology, and Venture Capital investments.
This is the first Canadian subsidiary for Curocom Co. Ltd.

HIV has killed more than 25 million people worldwide since the virus was
first discovered in 1981. "This vaccine has the potential of saving millions
of lives," says Kang who has been working on the vaccine for two decades.

Curocom Canada has also initiated a program to develop a Hepatitis C vaccine
based on Kang's research.

MEDIA CONTACT: Kathy Wallis, Media Relations Officer, Schulich School of
Medicine & Dentistry, 519-661-2111 ext. 81136, blackberry 519-777-1573,
kathy.wallis@schulich.uwo.ca