Complexity Digest 2001.29 - 01.01
16-Jul-2001
'Breeding' Antigens For New Vaccines, Science
Excerpt: Rather than carefully
manipulating genes to develop a product with specific
characteristics, a handful of biotechs are using a technique known
as directed molecular evolution to hunt for chance offspring that
have the desired features. This approach mimics natural selection,
but on a minuscule scale and with a focused purpose. One company
is now using this strategy to hunt for vaccines. Its work is still
in the early stages of test tube and animal testing, but if it
succeeds, it could add a novel tool to the vaccinemaker's
workbench.