News & Events

Cairns, Australia (June 18, 2007) — BD Biosciences, a segment of global medical technology company BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), and StemCell Technologies, Inc., a Vancouver-based life sciences company, announced today the launch of BD Matrigel™ hESC-qualified Matrix and mTeSR™1 Maintenance Medium. Together, these products offer an optimized cell culture environment for hESC research.

The development of these products arises from primary research performed by Dr. James Thomson and Dr. Tenneille Ludwig at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Through the strength of their collaboration with each other and with WiCell™ Research Institute, a non-profit subsidiary of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), BD Biosciences and StemCell Technologies have developed an ideal environment for hESCs, consisting of a defined serum-free, standardized medium for feeder-independent cell culture and a cell culture surface specifically qualified for use with this medium.

The mTeSR1 Maintenance Medium formulation is designed to maintain and expand hESCs in an undifferentiated state when used with BD Matrigel Matrix as a substrate. BD Matrigel hESC-qualified Matrix is a consistent, reproducible cell culture surface.When used together, the products do not require the addition of extra growth factors or supplements.

Together, mTeSR1 and BD Matrigel help researchers:

• Eliminate variability associated with feeder-dependent cultures
• Increase efficiency by avoiding the maintenance of feeder cells
• Reduce time and costs associated with screening medium components
• Achieve high-quality, reliable and reproducible research with defined, qualified medium components and qualified compatible surfaces
• Culture hESCs under standardized conditions

“Through our license with WARF and our collaborative relationships with BD and WiCell, we have responded to our customers’ needs by developing a truly optimized culture environment for stem cell researchers,” said Dr. Allen Eaves, President and CEO of StemCell Technologies, Inc.

“Rigorous testing has shown that the mTeSR1 formulation and the BD Matrigel Matrix are a very successful combination,” added Joseph Gentile, General Manager and Vice President of BD Biosciences – Discovery Labware. “We are excited to offer these products collaboratively to the marketplace, confident in their promise to advance the field of stem cell research.”

About BD

BD, a leading global medical technology company that manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents, is dedicated to improving people’s health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug therapy, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases, and advancing research and discovery of new drugs and vaccines. The Company’s capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world’s most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 27,000 people in approximately 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.

About StemCell Technologies

StemCell Technologies, Inc. is a life sciences company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. StemCell Technologies provides highly specialized cell culture media and cell separation products that support and enable medical research in areas such as cancer, hematology, immunology, cell transplantation, gene therapy, and stem cell biology. More information about StemCell Technologies can be found at www.stemcell.com.

About WARF

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation supports world-class research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison by protecting the intellectual property of University faculty, staff and students, and by licensing inventions resulting from their work. Established in 1925, WARF was the first university technology transfer office in the United States.

About WiCell™ Research Institute

WiCell is a non-profit subsidiary of WARF that was created to support human embryonic stem cell research on the UW-Madison campus. WiCell’s mission is to provide cells to academic scientists all over the world and to engage in research using the scientific expertise of UW-Madison researchers.

This press release contains certain estimates and other forward-looking statements (as defined under Federal securities laws) regarding BD’s performance, including future performance, products or other events or developments that BD expects to occur or anticipates occurring in the future. All such statements are based upon current expectations of BD and involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially from anticipated results described, implied or projected in any forward-looking statement. Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to: competitive factors; pricing and market share pressures; difficulties inherent in product development and delays in product introductions; changes in regional, national or foreign economic conditions; increases in energy costs and their effect on, among other things, the cost of producing BD’s products; fluctuations in costs and availability of raw materials and in BD’s ability to maintain favorable supplier arrangements and relationships; changes in healthcare or other governmental regulation; as well as other factors discussed in this press release and in BD’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof except as required by applicable laws or regulations.