West Palm Beach, FL (AHN ) - The scientists who created the cloned sheep named Dolly have also been working on genetically engineered designer hens to lay disease-fighting eggs. The research from these scientists at Scotland's Roslin Institute is being published in the January 15 issue of the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

The eggs from these hens contain proteins needed to make the drugs to fight diseases. These proteins have the potential to fight not only various forms of cancer, but other diseases such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

It is believed that the proteins from these eggs will make it easier and cheaper to produce the drugs.

"The idea is to produce the protein-based drugs in flocks of birds reared as 'biofactories' much in the same way as chickens are for normal eggs," according to Medical News Today.

More than 15 years of research at the Roslin Institute lays claim to having produced more than 500 birds from five generations at this point in time. The production of these eggs can provide useful levels of these "life-saving proteins" within their egg whites.

Although the news is promising, it may be another five years before trials of the proteins for the drugs can be assessed on humans and another 10 years before development of the drugs can be approved for public use.

The lead scientist, Dr. Helen Sang told BBC News that the group is very encouraged by the productivity level of the birds so far. However, further improvements are still needed to produce the levels required for large doses of drugs over extended periods of time as required by most patients.

The same team of scientists at the Roslin Institute is also looking into a research study of the reproductive biology of its engineered chickens.