PPL Therapeutics, the UK firm that has exclusive rights to the 'cloning' technique used to create Dolly the sheep, is to use the cell nuclear transfer technology to produce genetically modified cattle. In a joint venture with New Zealand Company Celentis, PPL hope to breed cows to produce a human protein in their milk that can be used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
The cloned cows will be produced in New Zealand to avoid any risk of 'mad cow' disease, says PPL's chief executive Ron James. 'We chose to work in New Zealand and America some time ago because we could see problems looming with BSE' he told the Guardian newspaper. If the research is successful, the firm hope to breed cows that produce a variety of therapeutic human proteins in their milk. PPL's shares rose 2 pence to 207.5 pence in response to last week's announcement.
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