Welichem Obtains Approval for Phase IIa Clinical Trial on Eczema

BURNABY, BC, Feb. 25 /CNW/ - Welichem Biotech Inc. ("WBI" or the "Company") (TSX-V: WBI) is proud to announce that Health Canada approved the Company's Clinical Trial Application (CTA) to begin a Phase IIa Clinical Trial of its anti-inflammatory drug candidate, WBI-1001, on atopic dermatitis (a type of eczema).

The Company will initiate its Phase IIa Clinical Trial of WBI-1001 as a topical cream application against atopic dermatitis in the coming months. Atopic dermatitis is normally treated topically with corticosteroids or other immune-suppressors, and these treatments often result in adverse effects after long-term use. WBI-1001 has been developed as a more effective and tolerable topical treatment of this chronic disease.

The Company has completed a Phase I Clinical Trial of this drug candidate on psoriasis, and the clinical data on its safety and efficacy in the Trial should be available by the end of April this year. A Phase II study to confirm and explore its safety and efficacy on psoriasis is planned for mid-2008. Meantime, the Company continues on its rigorous research and development schedule.

Dr. John Webster, Founder, Director and Chief Scientific Officer of Welichem, in a congratulatory note to the internal team, stated: "I congratulate all of you on the Company's success in receiving the clinical trial approval for this additional application of our unique compound, WBI-1001. I thank you all for your professional, dedicated and extraordinary work on the project. This is clearly another great milestone that Welichem has achieved."

With this CTA approval from Health Canada, the Company is on-track with its ambitious strategic development program.

We seek safe harbour.

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, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tel.: (604) 432-1703, Email: yorkguo@welichem.com

Yan Chen, Business Development Manager, Tel.: (604) 432-1703, Email: investors@welichem.com

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Source: Welichem Biotech Inc.