Boxed bottle of interferon, London, England, 1981

Boxed bottle of interferon by the Wellcome Foundation Ltd., London, 1981

Interferon is a protein produced naturally by the body to stop the growth of viruses in cells and fight infection. It can be produced from microorganisms using genetic engineering and is effective against certain cancers and multiple sclerosis (MS). This sample was produced for clinical trials to test how effective the treatment was before making it available on the market. The interferon is given by injection by a physician or self-administered by people with MS.

The Wellcome Foundation Ltd was founded by Henry Wellcome (1853-1936) in 1924 to bring his research, pharmaceutical laboratories and museum collection under one board of control.