The world's first litter of transgenic cloned pigs has been produced at PPL Therapeutics, the Edinburgh-based biotech company that worked with the Roslin Institute to create Dolly the sheep. The litter of five genetically modified piglets is part of PPL's attempt to advance towards successful transplanting of pig organs into humans.
The pigs, who have been named Millie, Christa, Alexis, Carrel and Dotcom, have had a non-pig gene inserted into them and are all genetically identical. Director of research at PPL, Alan Colman, said 'this exciting world first again demonstrates PPL's ability to apply its technical expertise to unmet medical needs such as the worldwide organ shortage'.
The company now intends to produce transgenic pigs with a different genetic modification in an attempt to prevent potential organ rejection after transplants to humans. It believes that clinical trials could begin within five years.
The news of the successfully cloned pigs helped PPL to bounce back after the company had to abandon a £45 million fundraising plan last week. The managing director of PPL, Ron James, has bought 10,000 shares in the company as a symbol of his confidence in it. It is thought that PPL might try to raise £25 million in a renewed cash call, which could come from existing shareholders. Currently, PPL has enough cash for another year, but needs to find longer term funding within the coming months.
Sources and References
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Pig cloning advance
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City shuns Dolly the sheep
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PPL drops £45m fund-raising plan
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PPL unveils modified piglets
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