Biotech companies make antibody treatments from mice, rabbits, and even camels. So, why not ostriches?
That’s the founding question behind OstriGen, a startup formed last year based on the work of Dr. Yasuhiro Tsukamoto of Kyoto Prefectural University. The idea is fairly simple: Tsukamoto’s lab injects antigens into ostrich hens, who soon develop immunity. When they lay eggs, the yolks are laden with antibodies, which OstriGen then harvests and purifies.
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