Proteins produced by both treated and control algae were tested with an in vitro activity test assay and found that the treated algae showed hormonal activity.
The use of microalgae to develop and produce human proteins will help reduce drug production costs associated with mammalian cells and bacteria.
Growth hormone is used as a prescription medicine to treat children with growth problems and adults with hormone deficiency as well as for anti-aging treatments and body fat reduction.
The project has been funded by the European Union as part of the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Program for Research and Technology Development.
The company plans to further investigate purified and concentrated protein activity in clinical trials in mice.