PPL, FibroGen in collagen venture

03 September 1997

PPL, FibroGen in collagen venture

PPL Therapeutics, famous for producing Dolly the cloned sheep, has announced a
joint venture with FibroGen of the US.

It will supply FibroGen with animals
whose milk contains collagen. PPL has so far successfully introduced the human
protein into mouse milk. It hopes the joint venture will earn significant
revenues as it moves into larger animals.

The company now hopes to breed an entire flock of sheep in New Zealand
capable of producing milk containing human genes and AAT, which can be used in
the treatment of cystic fibrosis. It also hopes to produce cloned cows.

It unveiled interim losses of £5 million for the six months to the end of June,
compared with a loss in the last full year of £6.2m. Interim turnover was
£541,000, compared with £2.5m for the full year.