Agresearch applies to develop human proteins in cows' milk

11.45 am

The crown science company Agresearch is seeking approval to develop human proteins in cows' milk.

Agresearch has lodged an application with the Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) to develop human therapeutic proteins in the milk of transgenic cows.

Agresearch general manager, science, Paul Atkinson, said today the application would seek approval to transfer transgenic embryos to conventional recipient cattle housed in a secure containment facility.

On maturity, it was hoped the resulting transgenic offspring would express therapeutic proteins in their milk.

Dr Atkinson said there was now a vast increase in knowledge of the agents and cell biology of human and animal diseases.

"The genetic composition of mammals is overall very alike and is said to be more than 85 per cent similar in cattle, sheep and humans," he said.

"Many medicines now are normal body proteins of mammals that can be utilised as 'advanced' drugs."

Examples were insulin for the treatment of diabetes and drugs used in the prevention of heart attacks and the control of some types of cancer.

Human therapeutic proteins were not readily available from humans or cultured human cells for a variety of reasons, Dr Atkinson said.

Development of an experimental herd of transgenic cattle would initially span a period of three to four years, during which the transgenic cattle would be produced in the first year. Breeding and milking the animals would be carried out in the second and third years.

Dr Atkinson said it was an exciting project as the ultimate purpose of introducing a new protein in cows' milk may eventually provide new pharmaceutical products to improve human health.

- NZPA

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