Dog Skin Cells For The World’s First Commercial Cloning Landed In Seoul

March 3, 2008 - PRLog -- RNL Bio Co Ltd announced that somatic cells of what would be their first commercially cloned dog, Booger, arrived safely in Seoul, Korea, last Sunday.

On February 28th, representatives from RNL Bio and the Animal Hospital of Seoul National University arrived in Los Angeles to meet the client and receive the cells. They agreed upon the schedule and mode of transport of the cells. An Iowa biotech company where the cells had been preserved released the cells upon the client's request. They also visited a local animal hospital where Booger's dead body was frozen and had been kept for one and half years since died. The purpose of that visit was to take skin tissue samples from the Booger’s body for future identification purposes. The cells and skin tissues were secured in a dry shipper containing liquid nitrogen for maintaining low temperature. The shipper was finally transported to Seoul by Korean Air on Mar 2nd.

Veterinarians and researchers at the Animal Hospital of SNU will verify the cell's viability and try to expand them as a part of the cloning process. The cells are also subjected to DNA identification tests to confirm whether or not the cells and the tissues are the same match.

Dr. Jeong Chan Ra, president and CEO of the firm said "We are very pleased that his (Booger's) live cells arrived safely here (Korea) and that the first ever commercial dog cloning project is about to commence. We hope to bring back my client’s dog as a genetically identical twin, Booger II. I sympathize with all who have lost their beloved pet dogs. Our dog cloning service might provide some relief to the profound grief. Our pet parents will not be charged for any cloning services until their pets are cloned. That’s our worry-free offer, no clone, no money. In addition, as the famous Missyplicity project is known to remain unaccomplished, we would like to take on the cloning of Missy if Mr. John Sperling sill wants her back."
The duration of cloning process varies with circumstances and ranges from three months to one year according the firm.


About RNL Bio Co Ltd.

RNL Bio is a premier biotechnology company in Korea focused on stem cell therapeutics and life sciences technologies. Headquartered in Seoul with a recently opened state-of-the-art GMP facility, RNL is a publicly traded company on the Korean Stock Exchange (Code 003190) and strives to become a global leader in the development of stem cell therapeutics. In 2006 RNL established wholly owned US subsidiary, RNL Biostar, for clinical development in the US and for licensing its technologies in North and South America.

Website: rnl.co.kr/eng/main.asp