Medicine from milk: Harry Meade at TEDxBoston

Summary

The video discusses how proteins, vital for various treatments like insulin and anti-cancer drugs, can be produced efficiently using transgenic goats. By integrating specific DNA into these goats, the animals produce complex proteins like antithrombin in their milk, which is then purified for medical use. This innovative bioreactor system offers a cost-effective and scalable alternative to traditional stainless-steel tank methods, reducing the cost of these life-saving treatments. The video also explores the potential of using goats to produce medicines in remote areas, emphasizing the mammary gland's power in protein production.

Takeaways

• 💊 Medicines from milk can be used to treat various diseases, including cancer and inflammatory disorders like arthritis.
• 🧬 Proteins, essential for body functions, can be made using DNA coding sequences, with the biotech industry modifying them for therapeutic use.
• 💉 Insulin and other complex proteins are produced using mammalian cells, often from Chinese hamster ovary cells, in large stainless steel tanks.
• 💵 Producing biotech drugs is expensive, with tanks costing hundreds of millions, and treatments can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
• 🐐 Goats can be genetically modified to produce important proteins like human antithrombin in their milk, making drug production more efficient.
• 🧫 These genetically engineered goats can produce much higher yields of complex proteins compared to cell cultures, making production more cost-effective.
• 🏥 The facility housing these goats is state-of-the-art and accredited by major health organizations like the USDA and FDA, capable of meeting global demand for antithrombin.
• 🧬 Transgenic animals, which have new DNA integrated into their genome, are used to produce therapeutic proteins in their milk, ensuring stable production across generations.
• 🧪 The process of purifying drugs from the milk follows standard procedures, with the first drug from this method already approved in the US and Europe.
• 🌍 This technology could be a game-changer for developing countries, allowing for the creation of affordable biotech drugs by farming genetically modified animals instead of building expensive manufacturing plants.

Q & A

What are some of the uses of proteins produced through biotechnology?

Proteins produced through biotechnology are used for replacement therapies, such as insulin for diabetics, as well as for anti-cancer treatments and treating inflammatory diseases like arthritis.

How are complex proteins like Factor 7 typically produced in biotechnology?

Complex proteins like Factor 7 are produced using mammalian cells, such as Chinese hamster ovary cells, which are cultured to secrete the protein into the media. The protein is then purified and used as a drug.

What is the main disadvantage of producing proteins using large stainless steel tanks?

The main disadvantage is the high cost. These tanks are expensive to build, and the media used for culturing cells is costly. Additionally, the yield from this method is often not great, which contributes to the high price of the resulting drugs.

What is antithrombin, and why is it important?

Antithrombin is a protein in the blood that prevents inappropriate blood clotting. It is used to treat patients with antithrombin deficiency, who have a high risk of blood clots, especially during surgery or childbirth.

How have goats been genetically engineered to produce antithrombin in their milk?

Goats are genetically engineered by inserting DNA coding for human antithrombin into their genome. This DNA includes a milk-specific promoter, which ensures that the protein is only produced in the mammary glands. The antithrombin is then secreted into the goat's milk.

What are the advantages of producing proteins in goat milk compared to traditional methods?

Producing proteins in goat milk offers several advantages: the mammary gland is a natural bioreactor designed for secreting proteins, the process yields high concentrations of the protein, and it is cost-effective since it doesn't require expensive infrastructure like stainless steel tanks.

What are transgenic animals, and how are they used in biotechnology?

Transgenic animals are animals that have had new DNA stably integrated into their genome. In biotechnology, these animals are used as bioreactors to produce therapeutic proteins in their milk, which can then be purified and used as drugs.

What is the significance of the promoter region in the production of proteins in transgenic animals?

The promoter region controls when and where a protein is made in the body. In transgenic animals, a milk-specific promoter ensures that the desired protein is only produced in the mammary gland during lactation, allowing for easy harvesting from milk.

What are follow-on biologics, and why are they important in the biotech industry?

Follow-on biologics, also known as biosimilars, are generic versions of previously patented biotech drugs. As patents expire, companies can produce these biosimilars at a lower cost, creating more affordable alternatives for patients.

How could this technology potentially benefit developing countries?

In developing countries, where capital for building expensive infrastructure is limited, this technology could allow for the use of transgenic goats to produce important therapeutic proteins. Goats can be raised on local farms, and their milk can be used to deliver medicines without the need for costly stainless steel facilities.