announcement

Commences Sales of New Hepatitis B Vaccine in HK

Document date: Thu 15 May 2003 Published: Thu 15 May 2003 10:33:39
Document No: 295775 Document part: A
Market Flag: Y
Classification: Other
SCIGEN LIMITED 2003-05-15 ASX-SIGNAL-G

HOMEX - Sydney

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SciGen Limited ("SciGen") announced today that it will commence
marketing and sales of Sci-B-VacTM its new 3rd generation mammalian
cell-derived Hepatitis B vaccine in Hong Kong on 15 May 2003. This
new Hepatitis B vaccine aims to control the spread of the Hepatitis B
disease in Hong Kong, and thereby reduce its associated morbidity and
mortality. Chronic Hepatitis B infection can cause liver cirrhosis
and liver cancer.

Mr Mark Compton, Managing Director and CEO of SciGen said that
"Sci-B-Vac(TM) is the principal product in SciGen's portfolio and
that the commencement of sales in Hong Kong is further evidence of
SciGen's ability to roll products out across the Asia Pacific
region".

"We plan to host a medical symposium on Sci-B-Vac(TM) in Hong Kong as
we have done in other countries where the vaccine has been launched
in order to communicate to the medical community the beneficial
properties of the vaccine and to raise SciGen's profile" Mr Compton
said. A media and direct mail program to medical practitioners has
already commenced.

The incidence of Hepatitis B in Hong Kong is high, at 8-10%.
Prevention through vaccination is the only effective medical measure
available to control its spread.

Registrations of SciGen's other products such as recombinant human
insulin are in train in a number of other countries in the region.
Despite a lengthier process than expected within the Indian Ministry
of Health in the registration of SciGen's insulin in India, the
process is now well under way and expected to conclude in the middle
of this year with sales expected to commence in early FY 04 which is
later than originally anticipated.

SciGen has also now submitted its registration dossier for
Sci-B-Vac(TM) for approval in Australia, New Zealand and India.

SciGen already generates sales from its recombinant human growth
hormone (SciTropin(TM)) and its third generation Hepatitis B vaccine
(Sci-B-Vac(TM)) in a number of countries in the Asia Pacific region
using its own sales and marketing infrastructure. SciGen has offices
and sales teams in Singapore, Australia, Philippines, Hong Kong,
Korea and Vietnam with strategic partners in India, Indonesia,
Poland, US and the Netherlands.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Mark Compton
MANAGING DIRECTOR & CEO
Telephone: +61 2 9234 1700

Web: www.scigen.com.au

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