Plant-made pharmaceuticals
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Plant-Made Pharmaceuticals (PMPs), also referred to as Biopharming, is a sub-sector of the biotechnology industry that involves the process of genetically engineering plants so that they can produce certain types of proteins. The proteins can then be harvested and used to produce pharmaceuticals.
There is much debate over the practicality of using plants to produce proteins. Some groups fear that contamination of conventional crops might occur; in several instances, companies have been fined for violating protocols, resulting in potential contamination. This leads to the question of "Why would biotechnology companies use plants to produce proteins?"
Conventional production methods for pharmaceutical proteins involve substantial investments of both time and finances. Not only are there manufacturing challenges involved with conventional production methods, but there are also considerable regulatory challenges that must be met. There are currently about 30 protein-based medicines on the market, and close to 100 in late-stage human trials. Consequently, companies are motivated to provide a wider range of options for production of proteins used in these treatments.
Biopharm proponents claim that using plants can offer an easily controllable, safe, and cost-effective method for manufacturing proteins, provided that proper regulatory safeguards are put into place to insure that no outcrossing can occur. It is also important to note, that the global demand for particular pharmaceutical protein can easily be met from just a few acres of pharma-crop, which can be grown under high containment conditions (e.g. in the greenhouse). Some scientists even think that the term "gardening" is more appropriate than farming. Opponents are concerned that there are too many ways in which contamination of the food supply and the environment can occur to make this form of production socially desirable, or even economically feasible.
Compared to conventional production methods, plant-made pharmaceuticals could save substantial time, money, and provide a system for producing proteins that could solve current production challenges.
Companies in this industry hope that proteins made from plants can be used to develop treatments for some of the most serious diseases and conditions such as cancer, diabetes, HIV, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, Hepatitis C, and arthritis, but no such products have as yet been approved.
