Haemophilia B, or Christmas disease, is an inherited X-chromosome-linked bleeding disorder caused by a defect in clotting factor IX and occurs in about 1 in 30,000 males in the United Kingdom. Injection of factor IX concentrate obtained from blood donors allows most patients to be successfully managed. However, because of impurities in the factor IX concentrate presently in use, this treatment involves some risk of infection by blood-borne viruses such as non-A, non-B hepatitis and the virus causing acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Because of the recent concern about the increasing incidence of AIDS amongst haemophiliacs, a factor IX preparation derived from a source other than blood is desirable. Here, we report that after introduction of human factor IX DNA clones into a rat hepatoma cell line using recombinant DNA methods, we were able to isolate small amounts of biologically active human factor IX.