2023-07-13 01:00:00
Title: Thai Researchers Develop Antibody Production Technology from Tobacco Plants to Inhibit Cancer Cell Growth
Subtitle: Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Pharmacy Makes Significant Strides in Accessible and Cost-Effective Cancer Treatments
Date: Thursday 13 July 2023, 6:00 a.m.
Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Pharmacy in Thailand has achieved a groundbreaking success by successfully developing antibody production technology from tobacco plants. The research team, affiliated with Phytopharm, a Thai company under Chulalongkorn University, has discovered that these plant-produced antibodies can reduce the size and inhibit the growth of cancer cells in laboratory animals. This breakthrough offers hope for the development of highly effective cancer medicines and treatments at a lower cost.
The research team’s achievement follows their prior success in developing a COVID-19 vaccine from tobacco plants. Associate Professor Dr. Waranyu Poolcharoen, a lecturer at the Department of Vedic Pharmacy and Pharmacy Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chulalongkorn University, stated that their goal is to develop technology and systems for producing plant proteins to create antibody drugs. This will potentially reduce the cost of drug production, making cancer treatments more accessible and affordable for patients in Thailand. Their efforts in researching biopharmaceuticals for immunotherapy-based cancer treatments have been recognized by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), which awarded them the 2023 Research Award.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Waranyu, the idea of producing antibody drugs from tobacco plants originated from the understanding that cancer cells bind to cells in the immune system, hindering their functioning. While chemotherapy targets the destruction of cancer cells, immunotherapy works to stimulate the patient’s immune system, making it stronger and capable of combating cancer cells. However, the cost of antibody drugs used in this approach is often exorbitant.
To address this issue, the research team focuses on reducing the cost of drug production and expanding patients’ access to medicines. By utilizing Thai technology and the support of CU Enterprise, they aim to develop and produce recombinant proteins, secondary metabolites, and plant viruses through plant biotechnology. The researchers found success using tobacco plants, particularly an Australian strain called Nicotiana benthamiana, as hosts for pharmaceutical and vaccine production. They inserted antibody-producing genes into the tobacco plants, allowing them to produce the necessary antibodies. After purification, it was discovered that the antibodies produced by the plants could bind to proteins on the surface of immune cells.
Further experiments conducted on laboratory animals revealed promising results. The antibodies produced from the tobacco plants inhibited the growth of cancer cells and led to a decrease in tumor size. These findings, which were published in the journal Scientific Reports on October 23, 2020, will now undergo safety tests, toxicity studies, and drug structure examinations. All data will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human testing approval. If successful, this research could pave the way for local production of cancer medicines, reducing costs and ensuring more people have access to these life-saving treatments.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Waranyu noted that apart from cancer treatments, the technology for producing antibodies from plant proteins holds potential for the development of other drugs and vaccines. The research team is currently investigating the treatment and prevention of diseases prevalent in developing countries, such as rabies, hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), Ebola virus disease, Nipah virus, among others. By striving to strengthen and stabilize medication and disease treatments, Thai researchers aim to develop drugs that rival those produced by large foreign pharmaceutical companies.
For more information on this research and future developments, please visit the Facebook page of BaiyaPhytopharm Co., Ltd.]
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