Researchers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan have managed to genetically engineer hens so that their eggs contain cancer-fighting substances – all in a bid to substantially lower the cost of treatment.

The protein that’s found in these miracle eggs is interferon-beta, something that’s produced by mammalian cells and by modified E. coli bacteria.

At present, it can be used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune condition that causes the body to destroy the layer that protects the nerves in the spine and brain. Injections of this protein into patients who suffer from relapsing-remitting MS, which is an episodic form the condition, can reduce the rate of relapses by as much as 30 percent.

Although the evidence is relatively immature, there are hints that interferon-beta therapy could also help to push back against the proliferation of cancerous cells.