Intas Biopharmaceuticals, a group company of Intas Pharmaceuticals limited has entered into a joint venture with Progenetics LLC, a US based company that has created  transgenic animals producing Factor-IX (a drug used for treatment of Hemophilia-B), in milk. As per the agreement Intas Biopharmaceuticals would develop drugs from such transgenic animals, carry out clinical trials and launch the drugs in India and in overseas markets.

Intas Biopharmaceuticals would be the first Indian biotech company to make drugs from transgenic animals and plans to set up a new state of the art manufacturing facility at Ahmedabad to develop drugs and carry out trials.

The first drug to be developed through this technology by Intas Biopharmaceuticals would be Factor IX which is used for the treatment of Hemophilia B, a life-threatening genetic disorder that affects the blood clotting function.

The technology is based on “transgenesis” which involves the introduction of the gene (DNA) into the germline of farm animals such as cows, sheep, goat, pigs and rabbits by using techniques of genetic engineering. The recombinant protein encoded by the transgene is then expressed in the mammary glands during lactation. Milk from these farm animals become a rich source of the recombinant proteins offering a huge cost advantage because of high productivity over the conventionally employed recombinant microorganism for the production of valuable pharmaceutical products.

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