Object Details
- Description (Brief)
- Intron A is an injectible recombinant pharmaceutical used to treat hairy cell leukemia.
- Recombinant pharmaceuticals are created by inserting genes from one species into a host species, often yeast or bacteria, where they do not naturally occur. The genes code for a desired product, and therefore the genetically modified host organisms can be grown and used as a kind of living factory to produce the product. In this case, genes coding for human white blood cell interferons are inserted into bacteria. Interferon is a substance that is naturally made by the body to fight infections and tumors. Bacteria produce the interferons, which are harvested and used as the active ingredient in Intron A.
- Object consists of a cardboard box containing a second box, two glass bottles (one of the active pharmaceutical and one of the dilutent), and two product inserts.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- maker
- Schering Corporation
- date made
- 1988
- product expiration date
- 1988-03
- Credit Line
- Gift of Schering Corporation, through Steven Schneider, Vice-President
- Physical Description
- interferon alfa-2b recombinant (overall active ingredients)
- glycine (overall ingredients)
- sodium phosphate dibasic (overall ingredients)
- paper (container material)
- glass (container material)
- Measurements
- overall: 8.8 cm x 6.2 cm x 3.5 cm; 3 7/16 in x 2 7/16 in x 1 3/8 in
- overall: 3 1/2 in x 2 3/8 in x 1 3/8 in; 8.89 cm x 6.0325 cm x 3.4925 cm
- Object Name
- biological
- pharmaceutical
- Other Terms
- biological, box; Pharmaceutical; Biological Extract; Powder
