Vampire bat saliva could help fight strokes (Reuters/CNN)

[eppur_se_muova]

Vampire bat stroke drug study resumes
Genetically modified protein from vampire bat saliva to treat ischemic stroke.
October 30 2006: 4:07 PM EST

CHICAGO (Reuters) -- An experimental stroke treatment based on the saliva of vampire bats rose from the dead Monday days after a safety panel stalled human testing because of a potential safety risk, its developers said.

An independent panel monitoring clinical trials of the drug said Monday a large study could resume after it halted patient recruitment last week so that it could investigate additional data to evaluate a possible safety issue.

News of the vampire bat drug's revival, which hit a day before the celebration of Halloween, sent shares of the medicine's German developer, Paion AG (Charts), and U.S. partner Forest Laboratories Inc. (up $0.85 to $48.73, Charts) higher.

The companies said they expect to complete enrollment in the late-stage study by the end of this year with results of the trial expected in the middle of 2007.
***
The treatment, desmoteplase, is a genetically engineered version of a clot-dissolving protein found in the saliva of the vampire bat.
***
more: http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/30/news/companies/bc.health.paion.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes

This is almost as good as the radioactive scorpion venom treatment!

[Quantess]

1. My only concern is

will animals (in this case, vampire bats) be exploited?

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Not to worry, the protein has been 'genetically engineered' from the original...

which *probably* means it is produced by GMO bacteria in big fermentation vats.

[Celebration]

2. Is this a Halloween story?

Well, Byetta, GLP-1 for diabetes, is from gila monster saliva.