Medicago USA using tobacco leaves for vaccines
Cool stuff.
“The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Medicago a $21 million research grant to improve the process of large-quantity H1N1 vaccine production using plant-based technology.
The company is currently using tobacco leaves to produce pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccines. Medicago’s project with DARPA will lead to a total investment of more than $32 million in Research Triangle Park.
“Bringing jobs to North Carolina is my No. 1 priority, and part of that mission is seeking out innovative businesses to increase our workforce opportunities,” said Gov. Perdue. “This exciting project represents the best of the biotechnology sector: creating jobs that use new technology to transform a traditional North Carolina product – tobacco – into vaccines for H1N1 and other dangerous flu viruses.”
Medicago USA is developing vaccines for humans based on two proprietary technologies; plant-based manufacturing technology and its virus-like-particles (VLPs). VLPs can be rapidly and efficiently produced and isolated from plant leaves and closely resemble a virus, allowing them to be recognized readily by the immune system, yet they are completely non-infectious and unable to replicate, making for a very safe vaccine.”
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