Genetically modified goats can produce cancer drugs in their milk

Health 16 June 2020
Goats’ mammary glands can produce large amounts of proteins

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Goats can be genetically modified to produce a common cancer drug in their milk, which could slash its production costs.

Many of the new blockbuster drugs that are used as cancer treatments are more expensive than older medicines, because they are complex proteins called monoclonal antibodies that are complicated to make.

The bowel cancer drug cetuximab, for example, is produced by mouse cells that have been genetically engineered to make a specific monoclonal antibody. This expensive manufacturing process means the drug, which is sold under the name Erbitux, …

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