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Science 16 June 2006:
Vol. 312. no. 5780, p. 1585
DOI: 10.1126/science.312.5780.1585b
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ScienceScope

The first medicine developed using transgenic biotechnology could soon hit European hospitals. Amid controversy, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) found earlier this month that ATryn, which contains recombinant human anticlotting proteins extracted from the milk of transgenic goats, is fit for public use. If the European Commission agrees, patients with congenital antithrombin deficiency, a clotting disorder, may soon receive the drug.

Figure 1
CREDIT: PHOTOS.COM
Produced by U.S. company GTC Biotherapeutics Inc., the drug initially received a no-go from EMEA because the study's sample size was too small. At the company's request, EMEA reconsidered and accepted data from previously excluded trial patients. EMEA declared on 1 June that the benefits of ATryn outweighed the risks, and the final go-ahead is expected in 3 months. But some researchers have expressed concern about the scanty data offered to support the decision.




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