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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes his Department has accepted and agreed to the original objectives in the project licence to Imutran for xenotransplantation research. [187050] Caroline Flint: The Imutran research licensed by the Home Office under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 involving pig to non-human primate xenotransplantation studies began in 1994 and was carried out under three separate project licences. These licences set out related objectives aimed at furthering Imutran's overall strategy ultimately to produce a means of making xenotransplantation clinically feasible. The specific objectives of the licensed work included the production of healthy, genetically altered pigs whose organs would not produce hyperacute rejection when transplanted into other species; demonstration of proof of concept; characterisation of other forms of xenograft rejection; and, having developed an immunosuppression strategy appropriate for human clinical use, the study of the biocompatibility and performance of solid organ and tissue xenografts. More detailed scientific objectives were also set within this general framework. These detailed objectives were reviewed and refined at intervals while the work was in progress. Where authorised, amendments were largely made to those parts of the programmes characterising later forms of xenograft rejection and its management. The precise technical content of the amendments is commercially confidential.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

424 c1896-7W;424 c1894-5W; 187050

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Animal experiments Licensing Pigs Xenotransplantation Imutran

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk