What is biopharming?

Biopharming uses

An example of the biopharming process

What is Biopharming?

Bio “farming” or biopharming for pharmaceuticals describes the practice of genetically engineering animals to produce foreign products of interest to humans.

Instead of conventional farming where the natural products of animals are harvested such as eggs, milk or wool, biopharming involves the harvesting of new products from genetically modified animals that would not naturally produce them.

By genetically modifying a goat egg, for example, the gene for human antithrombin can be incorporated into the goat genome.

The kids (goat offspring) where this modification has been successful are bred further (artificial selection). This can be tested by seeing if their milk contains the target product antithrombin.

Thrombin promotes blood coagulation and in people at risk can lead to harmful blood clots. Therefore, antithrombin can help prevent blood clots.