Author: Yomiuri Shimbun
Publication: The Daily Yomiuri
Date: Wednesday, November 01, 2000

A research team of the Science University of Tokyo has succeeded in using genetically modified rice plants to produce the hepatitis B antibody, which can be used to produce immunity to the virus, it was learned Monday.

Until now, blood from hepatitis B carriers has been used to manufacture the products.

Jo Chiba, a professor of the university and the team`s leader, said using rice plants instead of blood from hepatitis B carriers will not only cut manufacturing costs, but also will reduce the chance of other viruses entering the products.

About 300 million people worldwide carry the hepatitis B virus. In developing countries, which lack the funds to purchase expensive immunoglobulin, or antibody, products, it is particularly difficult to control the disease.

China, which has large numbers of hepatitis B sufferers, has expressed interest in developing immunoglobulin products using the new method because large quantities can be manufactured at a low cost.

A Shanghai bioproducts research institute has teamed up with the team to develop the method for practical use.

The majority of people with hepatitis B were infected with the virus at birth.

Studies have shown that if newborn babies at risk of the virus are given a hepatitis B vaccine in conjunction with immunoglobulin products, it almost entirely eliminates the chance of the babies being infected with the virus.

In developed countries, including Japan, the number of people with hepatitis B has been steadily declining.

Until now, production of both the hepatitis B vaccine and immunoglobulin products has relied on advanced technology. However, by using GM rice plants to cultivate the hepatitis B antibody, the research team has greatly simplified the process.

By implanting the hepatitis B antibody into rice plant genes and then cultivating the plants, the research team succeeded in creating a gene that produces the antibodies.

The team then extracted the antibody from the leaves of the plants and conducted experiments in test tubes, confirming the antibody`s ability to attach to and kill the virus.