EMEA panel recommends goat-milk therapy

Reversing an earlier rejection, an EMEA panel of experts has recommended approval for GTC Biotherapeutics' ATryn, an anti-clotting agent that is produced in the milk of genetically engineered goats. If the EMEA gives its official blessing, this would be the first new therapy to be approved using transgenic animals. This is big news for the fledgling transgenics field, boosting the hopes of other players in the area, such as the Netherlands' Pharming Group. PharmAthene is also developing a therapy in goat's milk. GTC added a gene to goats that allows them to produce the human protein antithrombin in their milk. Genzyme represented GTC in the European presentation. The EMEA had originally rejected the application on ATryn because only a handful of people had been tested. GTC shares almost doubled on the news.

- here's the AP report on ATryn

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