Our Goats

Nexia is often asked, "Why goats?" The reason is that our special goats (BELE^®) breed more quickly and lactate earlier than other common dairy animals, such as cows. These two advantages allow us to expand the herd size more quickly and to begin protein production sooner. Transgenic goat herds can be expanded to produce more protein than cell culture systems. In some specific cases, cell culture systems are unable to produce the protein of interest in any appreciable quantities, while transgenic animals are able to make large amounts of protein. The reason for this is not clear, but may involve the difference between an artifical environment feeding system (cell culture) and a natural environment feeding system (transgenic animal).

Nexia has identified a strain of dwarf goats from West Africa that naturally Breeds Early and Lactates Early (BELE^®), which reduces transgenic protein production time as compared with sheep, cows, and standard goats. For example, male BELE^® goats are sexually mature as early as 15 weeks of age while standard male goats are sexually mature at 30 weeks of age. This allows a transgenic herd to be produced more quickly. The reduced time from lab quantities to production quantities of protein in turn allows an earlier start of clinical trials or product commercialization.

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