Newswise — An April 1st, 2008 New York Times article highlighted current controversies over animal-derived drugs, the most recent of which was sparked by the recall of the Baxter International blood thinner heparin. Although these deaths were eventually shown to be unrelated to the drug's derivation from pig intestines, the event nonetheless raised awareness and concerns within the community at large about important drugs derived from animal products.
"Some assume that scientific advances and the evolution of synthetics have supplanted the need for animal products in modern medicine," says John Logan who serves on MicroIslet's Scientific Advisory Board and is a Founder as well as Chairman, President and CEO of Fios Therapeutics Inc.. "In cases where synthetics cannot be used, animal products and their derivatives may offer medicine the ability to immediately harvest life-saving materials instead of waiting idly by for a human donor."
Many question the safety of using animal-derived drugs since animals may be susceptible to various diseases; recent breed-wide pandemics such as mad cow disease have only heightened this concern. The long history of lives saved by animal-sourced therapies, from heart transplants to insulin injections, has done little to allay these fears.
According to Dr. Logan, however, the true key to guaranteeing the safety of animal sources lies in breeding. Some herds of animals destined for medical harvesting are kept in facilities that are reminiscent of closed communities that prevent contamination from the outside world. Such animals dine on a diet of feed that undergoes strict regulations, and subsequent generations of animals all come from the same disease-free genetic stock. In cases where animal sources must be used for drugs, these breeds offer insurance against any threat of disease.
For those covering health news, MicroIslet Inc. offers as an expert commentator Dr. John Logan.
Biography on Expert:Dr. John Logan, Ph.D.
Dr. Logan is a Founder and serves as Chairman, President and CEO of Fios Therapeutics Inc. (FIOS). Immediately prior to the formation of FIOS, Dr. Logan was a management consultant to the biotechnology industry and his major projects included work on the use of stem cells in cardiac disease, development of novel anti-virals for the treatment of HIV and as an advisor to Mayo Medical Ventures. Previous to that Dr. Logan was responsible for all of the activities of Nextran, Inc., a division of Baxter Healthcare. Nextran was focused on the development of genetically modified animals for use in xenotransplantation. As part of the activities of Nextran, Dr. Logan managed the world's first FDA cleared clinical trial of genetically modified organs for the treatment of patient's in fulminant hepatic failure. Before Nextran Dr. Logan was Chief Scientific Officer of DNX Corporation, the first commercial enterprise devoted to the development of biomedical and pharmaceutical applications of transgenic animal technology. Dr. Logan started his career in the biotechnology industry as a senior scientist at American Cyanamid Corporation. He holds a BSc (Hons) and PhD in biochemistry from the University of Glasgow and did post-doctoral training at Princeton University.
Dr. Logan serves as an expert resource on the following:
"¢ Animal-derived drugs"¢ Xenotransplantation therapies"¢ Regulatory issues
Dr. Logan can address the following FAQs:
"¢ Why do drugs continue to be derived from animal products, especially given the existence of sophisticated synthetic processes?"¢ How safe are animal-derived drugs?"¢ How can companies that develop animal-derived drugs protect against potential complications?
About MicroIslet Inc.MicroIslet Inc. is a biotechnology company engaged in the research, development and commercialization of patented technologies in the field of transplantation therapy for patients with diabetes. MicroIslet has licensed several technologies from Duke University Medical Center that were developed over the last decade for the isolation, culture, storage and encapsulation of insulin-producing porcine islet cells. We believe these proprietary methods are among the most important advances in the field of transplantation that may enable diabetic patients to become free from insulin injections. MicroIslet's ultimate goal is to offer a solution towards a cure for diabetes worldwide.
Please visit the company's website at http://www.microislet.com
RSS