But a year later Gilbert, Sharp and their colleagues founded Biogen , dedicated to creating drugs through molecular-biology techniques. Biogen researchers analyzed the genes of the hepatitis B virus and identified those that code for antigens, the proteins that trigger an immune response in humans. Isolating these genes, Biogen scientists then inserted them into bacteria, which manufactured the antigens in abundance. In this way, the immune system could protect the body from the hepatitis B virus. In a similar way, Biogen is also responsible for Intron A, or alpha- interferon.
Interferons have strong antiviral and anticancer properties.
Biogen took DNA that coded for interferon production and then spliced it into the genome of an Escherichia coli bacterium. The new gene forced the bacterium to produce alpha-interferon. With this technique, researchers could make large quantities of the interferon at a reasonable cost. Biogen, which also conducts research in developmental biology and gene therapy, has several other drugs in clinical testing. It also licenses its basic know-how so that other firms can create or boost production of proteins from bacterial hosts.