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PRESS RELEASE

18th April 2006

Damansara Fertility Centre Research & Development International Advisory Panel Holds Meeting on Cutting-Edge Fertility and Stem-Cell Technologies

An international advisory panel for the advancement of test-tube baby technology and stem-cell research set up by Damansara Fertility Centre (DFC) held a meeting on its latest research and development projects in Changsha, China on 30 March.

Among the issues discussed were research and development projects particularly about new methods in predicting poor responder patients with regards to follicle-stimulating hormone injection, and types of regimens to improve production of eggs to increase pregnancy rates. Prediction of response is based on measurement of the number and size of antral follicles, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) levels, age of the patient and other biometric measurements.

Another project that DFC will undertake is pre-implantation genetic diagnosis of IVF embryos to detect thalassaemia disease using polymerace chain reaction (PCR) technique. This procedure involves the multiplication of the embryo’s DNA to detect gene defects. Logistics and space for the new PCR laboratory were brought up.

Various methodologies for production of new eggs in women nearing the menopause through application of stem-cell technologies were also discussed. If successful this would herald a new era where women could continue to produce eggs even after 50 years old. Women who become sterile following chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be able to produce eggs again.

The international panel also proposed the development of a microfluidic system to revolutionize human embryo culture. Under this system, the embryo is cultured in a stream of medium rather than in a static environment as is currently practiced. A microfluidic culture system would closer mimic the environment of the mother’s body where the egg is fertilized in the Fallopian tube, and drops down into the womb as an embryo. The embryo could then also be gently rotated in its deposit well within the stream and its waste products carried downstream which is suggested to be a healthier method of cultivation. This rotation capability would also enable scientists to monitor embryos from a 3-dimensional perspective. The health condition of embryos can also be compared by analysing the metabolites that are collected downstream. This culturing technique also eliminates the need to control gas conditions above the medium.

Other important initiatives were also considered, – including cryopreservation of embryos, in-vitro fertilization based molecular genetics, studies on the effects of Chinese herbs on infertility and a fully coordinated computerized data register for patients – some of which have already been undertaken successfully by Damansara Fertility Centre.

The panel comprises of Professor Emeritus Bruno Lunenfeld, the 1st person in the world to introduce hormone injections to promote fertility; Professor Roger Gordon Gosden, world authority on egg and ovarian tissue cryopreservation; South Korea’s National Stem-Cell Research centre director Professor Moon Shin Yong; Professor Dr Ramli Abdullah from the Institute of Biological Sciences, University Malaya; Thailand’s Blastocyst Centre founder and director Dr Tongtis Tongyai; United Kingdom’s Association of Clinical Embryologists co-founder Dr John Keith; TMC Life Sciences Bhd founder and research director Dr Colin Lee and Damansara Fertility Centre’s consultant reproductive medicine specialist Dr Surinder Singh.

(Further information regarding the panel members are provided further below)*

DFC clinical and research director Dr Colin Lee was also in Changsha to deliver a lecture on “Surgical Treatment of Polycystic Ovaries” at the Inaugural Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproductive Endocrinology (ASPIRE).

This forum brought together a group of clinicians and scientist involved in the management of infertility, including assisted reproductive technology (ART). The aim of the congress was for them to share experience and information from a range of specialties to improve infertility management across the region.

*A summary of the profile of the International R & D Advisory Panel is as follows: -

Professor Emeritus Bruno Lunenfeld MD, FRCOG, FACOG, is best known for being the 1st person in the world to introduce Human Menopausal Gonadotropins (injections to promote fertility) for helping infertile couples to achieve parenthood. He was instrumental in the creation of an international standard for fertility promoting drugs and the classification of infertile patients.

He has published numerous books, more than 300 scientific papers, delivered more than 700 lectures and chaired more than 100 sessions at scientific/medical meetings all over the world. His scientific achievements received include, amongst others, the special recognition award of the United States Public Health Service in recognition for his outstanding contribution in the promotion of health, the Pliskin Prize, the Michaelis Raute Medal, the Jocob Henley Medal, the Order of Distinction by the President of Germany and the Bertarelli Foundation Award for his lifetime achievements in women’s health.

Professor Roger Gordon Gosden BSC, PhD, DSc, received his research training in reproductive sciences under Robert Edwards who together with Patrick Steptoe achieved the first clinical success with human IVF. He was awarded a PhD. in 1974 from Cambridge University, England and a D.Sc. in 1989 for meritorious research by Edinburgh University, Scotland. He has been a visiting professor at the University of California, has been appointed to the first chair of reproductive biology at Leeds university and has been the Scientific Director at the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at McGill University. In 2001 he became the Scientific Director and Howard and Georgeanna Professor of Reproductive Medicine at the Jones Institute in Eastern Virginia Medical School. He is now Professor of Reproductive Biology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City. His long-term research interests are in the biology of oocytes, in technologies for stem cells and he is one of the world's leading researchers in egg and ovarian preservation as well as the recipient of 19 international Research prizes and awards. He has delivered more than 200 international lectures in the last 20 years, published 7 books and more than 300 research and other scientific articles. He is listed in the international Who's Who, UK Who's Who, Canadian Who's Who, Who's Who in Theology Science as well as the Wilson Guide to Experts in Science and Technology.

Professor Moon Shin-Yong MD, PhD, O & G, is the National Director of Stem Cell Research Centre, South Korea’s ambitious 21st century frontier R & D programme. This extensive national project involves a wide selection of researchers from 47 R & D departments involving top Korean universities.

p>He is also the Director of Institute of Reproductive Medicine and Population, Medical Research Centre as well as the Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University. Prof Moon heads the Korean ground-breaking achievement on Blastocyst cloning announced recently (see attached article).

Professor Ramli bin Abdullah, Phd, is well known for his research on animal reproduction and biotechnology and has won a number of international awards including a 3-time recipient of the Japanese Scientific & Promotion of Science (“JSPS”) and the Duetscher Akademischer Austauschdients (“DAAD”).

He has also won Gold Medal Awards for invention and innovation from Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (“MOSTE”), and Gold Medal Award for invention from University Malaya (“UM”). He is currently the Deputy Dean of Institute of Postgraduate Studies, UM. One of his numerous current R & D projects is the cloning of goats.

Dr Tongtis Tongyai MD, BSc, O & G, is the founder and director of Blastocyst Centre, Bangkok which is currently the only IVF Centre in South East Asia where all ART cases are routinely targeted for blastocyst transfer. Blastocyst Centre is also the only institution in South East Asia offering PGD on blastocysts.

Dr John Keith PhD, is a Consultant IVF embryologist from the UK and the Head of the Embryology team at Damansara Fertility Centre. He graduated with honors in embryology from the University of Aberdeen in 1968. From 1985 to 1989 he worked in the Bourne Hall Clinic in Cambridge which pioneered the creation of the first IVF baby in the world. From 1999 until 2003 Dr John was a member of the scientific Inspector team of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which is the licensing authority that controls all of the IVF work in the UK. He is a founding member of the UK Association of Clinical Embryologists since 1993, which is one of the first professional bodies supervising the standards that embryologists work to. All in all he has more than 37 years experience in embryology.

Malaysia is honoured to have these experts on IVF technologies and stem-cell research in agreeing to collaborate with a Malaysian company in R & D.

This Research & Developement International Advisory Panel of experts is indeed a milestone in Malaysia’s ambition to become a Biotechnology Centre of international standing.