Use
of Implants in the treatment of Hemophilia
Scientists
have shown that a type of implant is capable of producing
a protein that is used for the treatment of Haemophilia.
Thumb size implants were placed in
monkeys and guinea pigs. These implants converted a
natural protein in the animals to a new form of protein
called factor VIIa. This protein is used in the treatment
of haemophilia.
Hemophilia is caused by the lack of a
clot-promoting protein called Factor VIII. Patients can
be treated with infusions of that protein. But some 15
percent of such patients develop antibodies that
inactivate the infused protein. They can be treated with
infusions of Factor VIIa instead, but that is expensive
and the protein disintegrates quickly.
The implants could avoid both those
drawbacks, as well as the antibody problem, the
researchers said.
The implants are porous chambers
containing a substance that converts Factor VII to Factor
VIIa. The monkey, which had three implants in its
abdomen, generated Factor VIIa for a month before the
implants were removed for inspection.
The work was reported in the March issue
of the journal Nature Biotechnology by Dr. Harvey Pollard
of the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine
in Bethesda, Md., and colleagues.
 
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