Biotech Values

[apljack]

"How many different antibodies does IVIG contain?"

Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) was initially shown to be effective in autoimmune idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in 1981 (Imbach, 1981). IVIGs are sterile, purified immunoglobulin G (IgG) products manufactured from pooled human plasma and typically contain more than 95% unmodified IgG, which has intact Fc-dependent effector functions and only trace amounts of immunoglobulin A (IgA) or immunoglobulin M (IgM) (Rutter, 2001).


http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3546.htm

Absolutely fascinating and peaks my interest as an Alzheimer's specialist. I have seen nothing in the literature about this, but would say that this has a potential for adding to an effective "cocktail" of drugs, and I'd be particularly interested in seeing this combined with Myriad's Flurizan.

IVIG is a human blood product, very expensive and in VERY SHORT supply. The question for the board is, where do people see the potential for manufacture? Is a GTBC-like co. capable of the genetic engineering to pull of the MASSIVE quantities of this immunoglobulin therapy that will be called for?

aj