Therapy, produced in milk of transgenic goats, is designed to treat exposure to chemical nerve agents.
GTC Biotherapeutics and PharmAthene entered into an agreement under which GTC will provide process development and clinical supply manufacturing services for PharmAthene’s Protexia® program. Protexia is a recombinant form of human butyrylcholinesterase (rBChE) produced in the milk of transgenic goats that is being developed by PharmAthene as a pre and postexposure therapy for military or civilian victims of a chemical nerve agent attack.
While human-plasma-derived butyrylcholinesterase’s (hBChE) ability to protect against nerve agent toxicity is well-documented, manufacturers have been unable to produce commercial quantities. According to PharmAthene, its rBChE enables substantially larger production yields than are possible through other methods. The company estimates that transgenic production and manufacturing is capable of supplying sufficient rBChE to make Protexia for use by the military and civilians.
