A university in South Korea has successfully created a transgenic cloned pig through the adjustment of gene expression.

The team at Chungbuk National University's Center for the Animal Bioreactor and Xenotransplantation injected the necessary gene into a pig's embryonic cell and produced a fertilized egg using somatic cell nuclear transfer. 

Thirty-eight transgenic pigs with controllable target gene expression were successfully generated through the process.

The finding is published in the January edition of the global journal PLOS ONE. 

Researchers say unlike existing drug manufacturing methods, the new technology will allow protein to be directly extracted from an animal. They said the process will increase productivity by 20 times. 

They also say safety concerns related to drug production using animals are also technically resolved.