October 16, 2003

ScinoPharm Taiwan selected for national technology award in Taiwan's biotech/pharmaceutical industry

Taiwan, October 16 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 5, 2003, ScinoPharm Taiwan, Ltd. was the recipient of a national award from the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs. Dr. Jo Shen, President and CEO accepted the award on behalf of ScinoPharm. ScinoPharm, along with another company, was selected as having the best performance in technology development and innovation in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry within Taiwan.

Selection was based on a detailed review of the advanced technologies developed, including site audits, of 12 Taiwan companies in this industry over the past two months. The Vice-Premier of Taiwan's Executive Yuan, Lin Hsin-Yi, presented the award to Dr. Shen. The award winners from each of the high tech industries met privately with Taiwan's President, Chen Shui-bian, prior to the award ceremony. President Chen greeted the winners and expressed appreciation for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to Taiwan.

ScinoPharm has developed manufacturing processes for 20 active pharmaceutical ingredients (API's) to be formulated and sold in the United States and Europe. It is celebrating its first commercial launch in September 2003 and is preparing to launch an additional 10 - 15 commercial API products in 2004. In addition, ScinoPharm scientists expect to develop API processes for 12 new products in 2004.

ScinoPharm also has entered process R&D and/or manufacturing agreements with 15 global pharmaceutical companies, including Aventis, Impax, Purdue Pharma L.P., Theravance, and several others. The company was inspected and approved by the US FDA in October of 2001 and, in addition, it has also successfully passed the facility and quality inspections of 15 global companies in this industry.

ScinoPharm is a Research, Development and Manufacturing service provider to the Global Pharmaceutical Industry specialising in API's and related intermediates. It operates in two facilities: the main operations in the Tainan Science Park in Taiwan and a process research centre in Kunshan, China, near Shanghai. ScinoPharm provides full life-cycle process development and chemical synthesis of API's for markets in the US and Europe.

In anticipation that biotech products will eventually be offered to generic formulators, ScinoPharm has successfully developed the ability to produce a number of biopharmaceuticals whose patents will soon expire or have already expired. ScinoPharm, through a contract arrangement with a newly constructed cGMP biotech facility in Taiwan will soon have the capability to manufacture selected biogeneric products. ScinoPharm intends to construct its own biotech production facility in the near future.