Nobel laureate cooperates with Chinese firm

TIANJIN - Nobel laureate Martin Evans signed an agreement on conducting stem cell anti-aging research with Zhongyuan Union Stem Cell Bio-engineering Corporation on Saturday in north China's Tianjin Municipality.

Evans was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2007 and co-established Cell Therapy Ltd, a biological high-tech enterprise undertaking stem cell research and clinical application, in Wales.

Under the agreement, domestic life science and technology enterprise Zhongyuan along with CTL will jointly invest $8 million to build a new company this year in Tianjin to industrialize achievements from research and develop existing stem cell studies by the two companies.

The prospects for anti-aging research on stem cells are brilliant, said Evans at the signing ceremony.

"The British company will provide advanced stem cellular therapeutics, technologies, stem cell products and services to the new company," said Li Defu, chairman of Tianjin Vcanland Group, the parent company of Zhongyuan, adding that the two companies will make best use of their advantage to push forward the development of China's stem cell industry.

The two sides held an international forum on industrial development of anti-aging sciences and technologies after the signing ceremony.