Welichem Awarded Contribution from NRC-IRAP for Research on Novel Anticancer Compound

BURNABY, BC, June 11 /CNW/ - Welichem Biotech Inc. (the "Company") (TSX-V: WBI - News), is pleased to announce that the Company was recently provided with an increase to their original contribution agreement of up to $150,000 by the National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) for research and further development of its novel anticancer drug candidate, WBI-2100. This contribution agreement will allow Weilchem to have up to a total of $350,000 towards the development of this particular R&D project.

NRC-IRAP works with small- and medium-sized Canadian enterprises, providing advisory services and potential funding to clients to help them develop innovative R&D projects.

Welichem recently discovered that its novel cancer drug candidate, WBI-2100, has the unique property of boosting neutrophils, a major immune cell type in the blood that defends the human body from bacterial and fungal infection. More interestingly, when WBI-2100 is combined with certain chemotherapeutic cancer drugs, chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (reduction of neutrophils) is prevented. WBI-2100 has the potential of being a unique cancer chemotherapy that negates one of the common, serious side effects normally experienced by patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy. There is a substantial need for products that have the potential to prevent chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. No other anti-cancer drug currently in use possesses such dual activities. This new NRC-IRAP contribution will assist Welichem in the rapid development of WBI-2100 for future clinical application.

The Company was pleased to work with the NRC-IRAP advisory staff throughout the assessment process and looks forward to the continuance of this relationship.

About Welichem Biotech Inc.

Welichem Biotech Inc. is a publicly-traded biotechnology company developing therapeutic drugs in the fields of autoimmune diseases and cancer.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
York Yingping Guo
President and Chief Executive Officer

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This press release contains forward-looking statements that include our belief as to the potential of our products. Certain risks and uncertainties such as our ability to successfully commercialize the products could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.

For further information

York Yingping Guo, Tel.: (604) 432-1703, Email: yorkguo@welichem.com
Andrew Baren, Investor Relations, Tel.: (604) 432-1703 ext. 224, Email: andrewbaren@welichem.com