Final answer:
Obtaining a protein drug from milk provides a highly efficient method to produce proteins with high biological value, thanks to the similarity between animal and human proteins. The digestibility and absorbability are therefore high, and using transgenic animals enables the production of therapeutic proteins for medical use.
Step-by-step explanation:
One advantage of obtaining a protein drug from milk is that it can be a highly efficient method of producing therapeutic proteins with high biological value. This is because animal proteins, including those in milk, are similar to human proteins, which means they have high digestibility and absorbability. For example, proteins from milk have a biological value near 96%, indicating that they are almost completely absorbed and utilized by the human body. Additionally, milk is a natural source of calcium, proteins, and vitamin D, elements essential for growth and development as well as maintaining strong bones.
Another significant advantage is the use of transgenic animals, like sheep and goats, which have been genetically modified to express human proteins in their milk. This biotechnological method has already yielded FDA-approved therapeutic proteins, such as a blood anticoagulant produced in the milk of transgenic goats. These advancements have made it possible to harness the nutrient-rich properties of milk to deliver essential proteins and antibodies tailored for medical treatments.