How One Animal with Big Potential is Redefining Regenerative Medicine
Pigs are serving essential human needs every day. From safe and high-quality food products to lifesaving medical devices and everything in between; in fact, Pharmaceuticals rank second only to meat in the important contributions pigs make to society.
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Commercial products and co-products derived from pigs play a vital role in maintaining and improving the quality of human life. Thanks to innovative research and new technologies, novel products sourced from hogs are constantly being developed.
Rapidly advancing science and technology are continually adding to the list of life-supporting and lifesaving products derived from this incredible animal.
Pigs are Powerful Medicine,
All Told, Hogs are a Source of Nearly
20 Drugs and Pharmaceuticals
Pigs: Unlikely Heroes in
Advancing Human Health
Pigs may seem like an unlikely candidate for medical research, but their genetic makeup tells a different story. With striking similarity to human genes, pigs offer a unique opportunity to study anatomic and physiologic traits that closely resemble our own.
From fat distribution to hair cover, pigs weighing around 130 pounds mimic the human body in remarkable ways. As a result, they have been a valuable tool in medical research for over three decades, serving as a translational research model that offers promising possibilities for human therapies.
It's clear that pigs have a bright future in the world of medicine, and we're excited to continue exploring the groundbreaking potential of these fascinating animals.
Why the Pig Model Works
Translatable​
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Physiologically similar: size, organ placement and function
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Reduction in transplant rejection through genetic modifications
Efficient
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Gestation period: 100 days
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Liter size: 6-10
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Time until fully grown: 4-6 months
Scalable
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Domestic animals already used in food
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Can provide food and therapeutic use
Expandable
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Capable of procuring multiple cells and tissues in a single harvest
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Identical processing and manufacturing