MULTIPHASIC CONTROLLED RELEASE FOR CATTLE REPRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

THIS PHASE I PROJECT WILL BE DIRECTED TO INVESTIGATING A MU TIPHASIC CONTROLLED RELEASE SYSTEM FOR CATTLE REPRODUCTION MANAGEMENT. TWO SPECIFIC BIOLOGICAL MEDIATORS WILL BE EX- PLORED FOR APPLICATION AS IMPLANTABLE BIODEGRADABLE DELIVERYSYSTEMS. ONE WILL BE BOVINE FOLLICLE STIMULATING HARMONE (FSH) FOR INDUCING SUPEROVULATION IN COWS; THE SECOND WILL BE HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN FUSED TO LHRH AS A CONTRACEP-TIVE IMMUNIZATION FOR HEIFERS. THE OBJECTIVE OF OUR RESEARCHWILL BE TO DESIGN A) A "ONE-INJECTION" SYSTEM THAT DELIVERS 12-24 "PULSES" OF BFSH AT 4-8 HOUR INTERVALS OVER A PERIOD 4 DAYS AND B) A "ONE-INJECTION" SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES THE INITIAL IMMUNIZATION WITH HBSAG-LHRH AS WELL AS THE TWO BOOSTERPULSES AT 21 AND 42 DAYS. IN EACH CASE THE ADVANTAGES TO THE FARMER/RANCHER WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED COSTS WITH A ONE-INJECTION SYSTEM, THAT IN FACT PROVIDES FOR MULTIPLE DOSES VIA THE "PULSED" OR MULTIPHASIC CONTROLLED RELEASE SYSTEM. OUR EXPERIENCED RESEARCH TEAM PROVIDES UNIQUE BACK GROUND FOR HIS MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY PROJECT. PHASEI WORK CONCLUDES WITHIN VITRO AND IN VIVO TESTING OF FEASIBLE SYS- TEMS. PHASE II WORK WILL FOCUS ON OPTIMIZATION OF THE FEAS-IBLE SYSTEMS. PHASE III WORK WILL BE PREPARATION OF OPTIMALDOSAGE FORMS UNDER GMP'S FOR TESTING IN TARGET ANIMALS.