Real Clone Wars: International Dog-Fight over Cloning Rights Between BioArts International...

Real Clone Wars: International Dog-Fight over Cloning Rights Between BioArts International & RNL Bio

MILL VALLEY, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
The CEOs of two American companies in the cloning field, BioArts
International and Start Licensing, today independently announced their
opposition to the unlicensed activity of a third company based in
South Korea: RNL Bio.

RNL Bio recently announced the cloning of dogs intended for
detecting cancer, offering to sell them for USD 500,000 apiece, after
previously announcing a plan to clone pet dogs. However, animal
cloning technology - including that used by RNL - is patented
throughout most of the developed world, including South Korea, and
these patents are controlled by Start Licensing. BioArts has the sole,
worldwide license from Start to clone dogs.

"RNL has no right to offer this service, and is practicing black
market cloning," said Lou Hawthorne, CEO of BioArts. "Good
international relations in the 21st Century depend on respect for
intellectual property. By claiming the right to exploit technology
that they did not invent and do not own, RNL demonstrates arrogance on
an international scale. If RNL does not respect Western patents, does
this mean that Western companies are free to disregard patents granted
to Korean companies?"

"Start will consider all available legal remedies to protect and
preserve its patent rights," said Jonathan Thatcher, President of
Start Licensing, "including the remedy of blocking importation of
products produced under the patented methods into jurisdictions where
such remedies are available."

"Individuals who wish to clone a beloved dog have only one legal
option," said Hawthorne, "and that's our Best Friends Again program,
described at www.bestfriendsagain.com. Organizations that wish to
clone dogs for other purposes, including medical applications, should
contact BioArts."

The role of Seoul National University (SNU) in this developing
situation is unclear. JoongAng Daily, a South Korean newspaper, quoted
SNU officials on May 20th as saying they were canceling plans to form
a commercial dog cloning entity due to concerns over Start Licensing's
patents; however, ongoing dog cloning activities of RNL are allegedly
enabled by University facilities and staff - several of whom are major
shareholders in RNL.

BioArts International partnered with Sooam Biotech Research
Foundation of South Korea following Sooam's successful cloning in 2007
of Hawthorne's family dog, Missy - fulfilling the world's first
commercial dog cloning order. BioArts recently announced plans to sell
5 dog cloning slots in an auction to be held July 5th-9th. Details can
be found at www.bestfriendsagain.com. More information on BioArts is
available at http://www.bioarts.com.

Lou Hawthorne is available for interviews. Please contact Michele
Kelly/Ed Fogelman at (415-388-8009) or ed@kfgroup.net.

Kelly/Fogelman Group
Michele Kelly, 415-388-8009
mkelly@kfgroup.net
Ed Fogelman, 415-388-8009
ed@kfgroup.net

Copyright Business Wire 2008