Asterand Isolates New Approach to Arthritis Research

Asterand (LSE:ATD), the human tissue research company, announced
today that it is making available new research materials to be used in
the investigation of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, cancer and
other diseases.

The company is offering researchers cells that have been isolated
from various parts of the body, including synovium from the joints of
patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and cartilage from
patients with osteoarthritis. "Cells are available from cultures
preserved after minimal time in the laboratory," says Dr. Vici Blanc,
Director of Product Development. "This approach is important because
cells can change over time under laboratory conditions and scientists
need them to remain closely resembling those which are in the body."

"Minimal and zero passage cells provide researchers with excellent
systems for analyzing drug action in living human cells and for
understanding the molecular progression of diseases."

Asterand produces these cells in its laboratories by propagating
them for limited periods of time and then cryo-preserving them after a
minimal number of passages. The full range of cells available includes
chondrocytes, synovial fibroblasts, epithelial cells and carcinoma
associated fibroblasts.

"Much of this material is very hard to obtain. We may be the only
company in the world that is able to offer this research approach,"
adds Dr. Blanc. "We are uniquely positioned to obtain these samples
because we operate a worldwide network of collection sites where
patients have the opportunity to donate fully de-identified samples
for research."

Researchers anywhere in the world will be able to order synovial
cells for arthritis research through Asterand's online catalogue at
http://solutions.asterand.com/ or via Asterand's laboratories in
Detroit, Michigan and Royston, UK.

"We are able to collect samples for cell culture and
cryopreservation on a custom basis," says Dr. Blanc. "So if
researchers have special needs for isolated cells which are not
immediately available, Asterand may be able to help them."

Asterand plc is a UK public company that supports human drug
discovery and translational medicine through the provision of high
quality, well characterized human biomaterials and preclinical
research services. The company maintains banks of samples including
breast, lung, prostate, colon and other cancers, diabetes,
cardiovascular and central nervous system diseases. Asterand also
performs contract research services on behalf of its clients. The
company's mission is to provide the highest quality human biological
material and services to researchers developing better diagnostics and
therapeutics.