Scientists have made headway on genetically engineering chickens to produce pharmaceutical compounds in the egg whites, thus potentially reducing the cost of drug production dramatically. Several lines of chickens have been produced, produces human interferon resembling a drug for multiple sclerosis, as well as anti-cancer compounds.

"This is potentially a very powerful new way to produce specialised drugs," said Dr Karen Jervis of Viragen Scotland, a biotech company that is working closely with Roslin. "We have bred five generations of chickens so far and they all keep producing high concentrations of pharmaceuticals." "In theory, this technique could be used with a wide range of genes, so that hens could be used to make many different proteins," said Andrew Wood of Oxford BioMedica, whose researchers collaborated on the project. "Potentially, this could lead to treatments for ill-nesses including Parkinson's Disease, diabetes and a range of cancers."

Read more from the Times Online.

[Hat Tip: Hsien Lei of Genetics and Health]