Goat Milk Promises Cheap Cancer Treatments: New Zealand Scientists

“Genetically modified goat milk has been used to create a new biotechnology process that promises cheaper anti-cancer drugs, New Zealand scientists said Wednesday.”

“Milking goats have been used to produce mono-clonal antibodies (MCA) in their milk, which are specifically used as human anti-cancer treatments, in a process developed by the government’s AgResearch institute.”

“Once a drug comes off patent, anyone can produce it, but the price is ultimately regulated by the cost of production and these drugs are typically very expensive,” Professor Peter Shepherd, leader of the University of Auckland team, said in a statement.

“The aim is to greatly lower the cost of the drug for practical purposes and eventually build an industry based on this in New Zealand,” he said.

“The antibodies made cancer cells more visible to the immune system, prevented growth signals from getting through to cancer cells, helped to deliver radiation and drugs to cancer cells, and stopped new blood cells from forming,” as reported in the article.

“New Zealand is extremely well placed to do this and has some fantastic animal scientists who have all the skills to do this type of work,” said Dr Goetz Laible, head of the team at AgResearch.

Article Source: Shanghai Daily, March 9, 2016

Image Source: Wikipedia