Corporate News 2005

US Tissue Bank, Asterand, Expands Service to Europe

June 27, 2005

PRNewswire - Asterand Inc, the Detroit based supplier of human tissues for drug discovery research, has announced a major expansion of its business in Europe with the opening of offices in the United Kingdom.

Asterand's European initiative calls for new laboratories to be developed to provide a full range of human tissue services and, importantly, the company will expand the supplies of samples that must be delivered within a tight time frame for experiments to be effective. The European division of Asterand will be led by Dr Julian Beesley.

"Dr.Beesley is already very well known to the research community and we are proud to have such a respected individual leading our European efforts," says Asterand CEO Randal Charlton. "Julian has spent 27 years in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, much of this time directly associated with human tissues and associated research including responsibility for tissue banking at Glaxo Wellcome."

"We already have a large and growing number of research partners in Europe. However we believe the market is underserved by research service companies like ours. We provide a critical service. The plain fact is that no drug is developed or improved without the involvement of human tissue at various points in the discovery and development process. Also, since the mapping of the Human Genome, tissue samples backed by data have become even more important in the drug discovery process."

"Virtually all of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies have major research facilities in one or more European countries. Our new presence there will allow us to provide them with a better research service in the same time zone."

Contact information:
Julian Beesley
Tel: +44 (0) 1787 279223
www.asterand.com