Goat milk will be used to make a new anti clotting drug by a Massachusetts-based company. The drug called A Tryn, will be used to treat people with an unusual hereditary disorder that makes them prone to blood clots which could turn to be fatal.

However, the approval for the drug is still under consideration by a committee of expert advisers to the FDA.

If the drug gets approval, it would be a new direction for the manufacture of drugs which would be manufactured using genetically manipulated living organisms. It would open new vistas for similar type of drugs which could cure rare diseases like hemophilia.

The drug has been developed by GTC Biotherapeutics, Massachusetts. Changes were made in the genes of the goats so that their milk could be rich in antithrombin. Antithrombin is a protein agent which acts as a natural blood thinner.  

However, the drug would not be used to treat patients suffering from antithrombin deficiency. ATryn would be administered to patients who undergo surgeries or during delivery. In short it would be used during those surgeries when there would be a high risk of the development of clots. In such cases the drug would be given as intravenous infusion before and after the surgical procedures.