A “living medicine” made from genetically modified bugs has prolonged the lives of animals with severe metabolic disease in a landmark test of the treatment. Researchers created the medicine by making a common strain of bacteria mop up excess ammonia in the body. The researchers tweaked the bug’s genes so that when it reached the low-oxygen world of the intestines, it consumed far more ammonia than usual. The microbes cut ammonia levels by as much as half and boosted the animals’ survival rates. While all untreated mice died within a week, half of those given modified microbes were still alive 10 days later.

Source: The Guardian January 16, 2019 18:56 UTC