Thursday, 1 September 2005:  Apollo Life Sciences Ltd (ASX: AOP) today announced that its human-expressed Interleukin 2, a protein involved in stimulating T-cell growth, performs six times better in a recognised test of bioactivity than a leading competitor's protein and is more than twice as effective as the World Health Organization's (WHO) protein standard.

Interleukin 2 stimulates T-cell proliferation in the bloodstream. It is used principally to treat metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. One current research focus for Interleukin 2 is its capacity to boost anti-viral immunity in AIDS patients. The market in Interleukin 2 therapeutics is estimated to be worth more than US$150 million per year.

"The protein will initially be commercialised in the research market, selling to scientists and research laboratories, where the performance difference will offer important advantages," said John Priest, Chairman and CEO, Apollo Life Sciences Ltd. "There will be significant advantage because researchers will potentially be able to use less material in the lab and be able to benefit from the stability of the protein. This means they will be able to conduct longer tests and look more closely at the properties and benefits of human-expressed protein."

Recent results from an international in vitro proliferation test - conducted over 12 months - show the company's protein was more active when compared to the WHO Interleukin 2 standard and a competitor product, especially in long-term cultures. The in vitro assays, undertaken internally and externally, involved a direct comparison between E. coli and human-expressed protein and indicate that Apollo's human-expressed protein is substantially more effective. Further tests to identify the structures of the molecule responsible for the improved activity are being carried out. Additional biological properties will also be tested to determine further benefits of Apollo's human cell-expression process.

Following an announcement last month by the company about its protein VEGF, Interleukin 2 is another of the 60 in the company's library of human-expressed proteins that provides Apollo with a platform for creating a range of therapeutic products and multiple commercialisation options.

Apollo listed on the ASX in June this year, raising $9.5 million.

For more information:

John Priest
Chairman and CEO, Apollo Life Sciences
(02) 9310 1800

Jane Cotter
Oxygen Financial Public Relations
(03) 9915 6342