Article reports data that demonstrate Oxford BioMedica's lentiviral vectors can be used to generate transgenic lines with an efficiency of the order of 10 to 100-fold higher than any previous method
Oxford BioMedica announced that a scientific article reporting on its collaboration with Viragen in the field of avian transgenic biomanufacturing is available as an advance online publication of Embo reports (European Molecular Biology Association, McGrew et al, vol 5, no 7).
The article, titled "Efficient production of germline transgenic chickens using lentiviral vectors", reports data that demonstrate that Oxford BioMedica's lentiviral vectors can be used to generate transgenic lines with an efficiency of the order of 10 to 100-fold higher than any previously published method.
In collaboration with Roslin Institute and Oxford Biomedica, Viragen aims to develop this technology for the efficient, large-scale and cost-effective manufacturing of pharmaceutical protein-based drugs in the eggs laid by flocks of transgenic chickens.
Project leader, Roslin Institute's Helen Sang, commented, "Our results to date are very encouraging.
"The efficiency is such that transgenic lines of chickens can be established with ease, and studies measuring expression of the transgene suggest that predictable levels of expression will be obtained.
"In order to achieve our goal of producing therapeutic proteins in hens' eggs, we must accomplish tissue specific expression of the transgene in the oviduct - a goal we are diligently working toward." Commenting on the results, Oxford BioMedica's chief executive officer, Alan Kingsman said "This is an interesting project and we are delighted to see the LentiVectors having a significant impact in yet another area of commercial biology".
