A Framingham, MA-based biotech company, GTC Biotherapeutics got regulatory approval from the European Commission this week for an anticlotting protein secreted by the company’s goats (via their milk). It’s the first approval for a biologic drug made by a transgenic animal, according to this article from The Scientist. The FDA is in the midst of review the drug, along with a drug for hereditary angioedema made by transgenic rabbits developed by the Dutch company Pharming Group.

We’ll see how goats and rabbits compete with cells when it comes to producing large quantities of pure proteins. Needless to say, I’m sure those goats in Framingham are probably some of the most highly guarded goats around!