Cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-seok and British scientist Ian Wilmut officially agreed Thursday to a joint study to find treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease. A memorandum of understanding will be signed in October.

The two famed scientists expect to develop a cure to terminal diseases including Alzheimer's by combining Korea's stem cell technology and Britain's cell transplant technology.

The two will each form a five-member team for the joint research.

Intellectual property rights issue and details of the study have yet to be hammered out.

Dr. Wilmut, the creator of the world's first cloned sheep, had proposed the joint study to Professor Hwang last month.