An article in the Scotsman describes the planned slaughter this week of about 3,000 genetically modified (GM) sheep from the firm that cloned Dolly.

The sheep were being used by PPL Therapeutics to test AAT, a drug intended to slow the progress of diseases such as hereditary emphysema and cystic fibrosis.

It appears that Bayer Healthcare LLC (the German company that was jointly researching the project with PPL Therapeutics) decided that the trials of the new drug were too costly, so they are putting the project "on hold", laying off 140 people, and "reducing" their GM sheep herds in both Scotland and New Zealand (where another 3,500 animals are set to be euthanized).