Development of minor dairy components as therapeutic agents - whey growth factor extract, a case study

Bovine whey is a rich source of proteins with different physical and physiological activity. In our hands, cheddar cheese whey has been used as a novel source material for development of a candidate human therapeutic - whey growth factor extract (WGFE). The technology for this product has incorporated all aspects of the drug development pipeline, including pre-clinical testing, pharmaceutical grade manufacture and human clinical trials. The WGFE technology represents a different approach to the use of minor dairy ingredients that may potentially return large benefits to both end user and the dairy industry.