Due to their high cost and limited scalability, current mammalian cell culture production systems cannot match the increasing demand for human biologics. Recent breakthroughs in glycoengineering, downstream processing, and plant expression vectors, on the other hand, have established plants as a superior choice for biologics manufacture. Aside from the obvious benefits of correct eukaryotic protein modification, plants offer the potential to manufacture biologics at a lower cost and with higher scalability. They accelerate biologics production at an unprecedented rate, assisting in the containment of potential pandemics such as COVID-19, Ebola, and others for enhanced effectiveness or safety. The market for plant-based biologics is anticipated to expand as a result of a strong pipeline of these products. Numerous biopharmaceuticals products are undergoing clinical trials or are awaiting regulatory approval from major market players. The strong biopharmaceutical product pipeline is therefore anticipated to significantly fuel expansion of the global market for plant-based biologics in the near future. The expansion of the global market for plant-based biologics is also anticipated to be positively impacted by product advancements.
Plant-based biologics are anticipated to experience a CAGR of 3.4% from 2020 to 2027.
Key Companies in the Plant-based Biologics Industry:
1. Leaf Expression Systems
Leaf Expression Systems was founded in 2016 and headquartered in Norwich, UK. It operates in Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom. Leaf Expression Systems (Leaf), a plant-based expression biotechnology company, announced the launch of SupraVec®, a new proprietary vector-based expression technology for the rapid production of proteins, vaccines, and complex biomolecules within plant leaf tissue, in September 2021.
2. Zea Biosciences
Zea Biosciences was founded in 2015 and headquartered in Massachusetts, United States. It operates in US. Zea Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical business with a revolutionary platform for vaccine and biologics research based in Boston, inked an exclusive license agreement with the Universities of Florida and Pennsylvania in March 2023. The strategic alliance will work to quickly scale up and develop possible clinical development products to address the problem of oral tolerance in patients with hemophilia A and B.
3. Planet Biotechnology Inc.
Planet Biotechnology Inc. was founded in 1998 and headquartered in California, United States. It operates in seven Middle Eastern countries and has traveled to European countries and South Korea as well. iBio and Planet Biotechnology collaborated in September 2020 to develop COVID-19 therapeutic. For the development of Planet Biotechnology's COVID-19 therapeutic candidate, ACE2-Fc, iBio, a biotechnology innovator and biologics contract manufacturing company, has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Planet Biotechnology. Planet Biotechnology specializes in a plant-based expression system for producing antibody and receptor/ligand-Fc products.
4. InVitria
InVitria was founded in 2007 and headquartered in Colorado, United States. It operates globally. OptiVERO, a chemically defined, blood and plant hydrolysate-free cell culture media for vaccine production, was introduced by InVitria, a Ventria Bioscience division, in April 2018. It outperforms common VERO media by enabling robust VERO cell expansion and production of challenging-to-express virus types.
5. PlantForm Corporation
PlantForm Corporation was founded in 2014 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada. It operates in many countries. A joint research and development agreement was signed in March 2023 by PlantForm Corporation, a Canadian biopharmaceutical innovator, and Bio-Manguinhos / Fiocruz to create a biosimilar pembrolizumab and up to five additional drugs for the Brazilian and international markets. Many types of cancer, including some types of breast cancer, skin cancer (including melanoma), non-small cell lung cancer, and more than a dozen additional types, are treated with pembrolizumab alone or in combination with other medications. The partnership builds on an agreement made in the early months of 2021 to enable scientific and technical cooperation with the goal of introducing inexpensive pembrolizumab to Brazil and creating new products to satisfy the market's desire for more affordable medicines for the country's healthcare system
6. IBIO, Inc.
IBIO, Inc. was founded in 2008 and headquartered in Delaware, United States. It operates in many countries.
7. Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc.
Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc. was founded in 2003 and headquartered in San Diego, C.A, United States. It operates globally. DCN Dx, a global leader in the end-to-end development, manufacturing, and commercialization of point-of-use tests, today announced a subcontract with Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc., a developer of novel pharmaceuticals for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, focusing on unmet needs in global health and biodefense.
8. Pfizer Inc.
Pfizer Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation, founded in 1849. The headquarter is in Williamsburgh, New York. It operates to over 181 countries. Pfizer Inc. and Abzena signed an agreement in January 2023 under which Pfizer will acquire Abzena's production facility in Sanford, North Carolina. The state-of-the-art facility, once completed, will have wide capabilities for creating biologics drug material and will provide additional production capacity, allowing Pfizer to assist expedite its creative pipeline. Furthermore, Abzena and Pfizer's CentreOne contract manufacturing unit will work together to bring difficult biologic products to market.
9. Ventria Bioscience Inc.
Ventria Bioscience Inc. is a biotech company with a focus on human nutrition and human therapeutics. It was founded in 1993 and headquartered in Fort Collins, CO. It operates in United States.
10. Medicago Inc.
Medicago Inc. was a Canadian biotechnology company, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Quebec, Canada. It operates globally.
*Definition: Plant-based biologics are the outcome of modern biotechnology applied to plants, which allows them to produce therapeutic proteins. These proteins are particularly effective in combating deadly diseases like HIV, Alzheimer's, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and cystic fibrosis.
