State science company AgResearch says it will slim down its applications for approval of genetic engineering of multiple species of animals after being told by regulators they won't be approved.
The Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) today released preliminary recommendations on AgResearch's four applications, submitted in 2008, to import, develop and field test genetically-engineered (GE) organisms.
The researchers wanted to experiment on human and monkey cell lines and smaller species of GE laboratory animals, such as cats, dogs, pigs, guinea pigs, mice, rats, rabbits, and chickens, to develop GE cows, buffalo, sheep, pigs, goats, llamas, alpacas, deer and horses.
But today's Erma staff evaluation and review report - for a hearing to be held by Erma in June - recommended those applications be declined.
"The exceptionally large range of genetic modifications, techniques and traits proposed means it is not possible to identify the full range of genetically modified organisms to be imported, developed or field-tested," the report said.
Without being able to identify the range of GE organisms, an assessment of effects could not be meaningfully undertaken, including identifying the biological nature of the GE organism; and the nature and degree of hazard.
It was also not possible to properly assess the adequacy of the containment system proposed by the applicant.
AgResearch immediately announced in a statement that it would narrow the parameters of its four applications.
"We will continue to seek approval for our four applications, but now limit the range of species to mainly cattle, sheep and goats - which we already work with," said its applied biotechnologies general manager Jimmy Suttie.
"We have considered the recommendations about identifying the full range of GM organisms in our applications, and we accept Erma's position."
AgResearch's four applications are to import and develop, both inside and outside in a containment facility, GE organisms and conduct field tests of livestock to produce antigens, biopharmaceuticals, enzymes, hormones and other products with possible health benefits and commercial applications.
AgResearch has previously said it wanted a "suite" of all the possible approvals it might need for research, and animal breeding, to target production of high-value proteins in milk.
But GE-Free NZ took both Erma and AgResearch to court last year, and criticised its plan to use the animals as "production platforms" for GE milk and other high-value proteins.
But a High Court decision that there were insufficient specifics in AgResearch's four applications was over-ruled on appeal, partly on the grounds that such judgements should be made by regulators, rather than the court.
AgResearch has been working at Ruakura in Hamilton for about nine years to raise GE cows, some of which contain a human gene that allows them to produce milk with a human protein that could be extracted for use in pharmaceutical trials.
Last year, three GE calves engineered to see if they could express a human fertility product in their milk died after their ovaries kept growing until they caused internal ruptures.
