LENTIVECTOR(R) GENE DELIVERY SYSTEM RESULTS IN
HIGH SUCCESS RATE IN AVIAN TRANSGENICS PROGRAM
Collaboration with Viragen Inc. and Roslin Institute
Oxford, UK - 21 June 2004: Oxford BioMedica (LSE OXB), the leading gene therapy
company, today announced that a scientific article reporting on its
collaboration with Viragen Inc (AMEX: VRA) 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 PLC, 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 Dr. 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, Prof.
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".
The abstract of the article is available at:
nature.com
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