PlantForm News Releases

PlantForm in the News

May 23, 2024: One Day, Plants Could Grow Your Meds, Say U of G Researchers University of Guelph News

April 10, 2024: Pembrolizumab Made in Brazil OncoNews

November 17, 2023: Leveraging Plant-Based Protein Expression: Implications for Biomanufacturing and Biodefense BioProcess International

March 23, 2023: UFC and FIOCRUZ/Bio-Manguinhos sign cooperation agreement; goal is to develop drugs for cancer treatment

March 8, 2023: Guelph company helping make cancer drug cheaper in Brazil Guelph Today

June 6, 2022: Pigs fed E. coli antibodies could lead to safer pork Canadian Hog Journal

May 20, 2022: Plant-Based Protein Expression: Emerging Systems Bring Viable Approaches to Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing BioProcess International

May 10, 2022: Growing outside the box Greenhouse Canada

January 17, 2022: Antibody discovery aims to treat E. coli in pigs for improved livestock health and human safety Government of Canada | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada News

February 4, 2021: Feed additive in development to reduce food safety risks Farmtario

December 26, 2020: Research project targets E. coli infection in pigs Pig Progress

December 19, 2020: PlantForm, AAFC research project targets E. coli infection in pigs Food in Canada

December 17, 2020: Feed additive research will target E. coli infection in pigs realagriculture.com

December 2, 2020: NSERC Awards Alliance Grant to PlantForm to Enable Commercial-Scale Production of Protein Therapeutics PharmaTech.com

June 18, 2020: Promising treatments for COVID-19 advanced by Canadian scientists The Globe and Mail

May 13, 2020: Amazing ways Canadian startups are tackling the COVID-19 crisis MaRS Magazine

April 28, 2020: Biotech company with ties to Sarnia joins COVID-19 fight BlackburnNews.com

April 20, 2020: South Africa: Entrepreneurs Pioneer Rapid COVID-19 Test Kit AllAfrica.com

April 14, 2020: Tools to end the lockdown CBC The Current with Matt Galloway

April 14, 2020: A company that produces antibodies is joining the fight against COVID-19 KitchenerToday.com

April 11, 2020: Guelph biotech firm working to develop coronavirus blood test Guelph Mercury-Tribune

April 7, 2020: Guelph, Ont., company to develop blood test for COVID-19 immunity Global News.ca

January 28, 2020: There's A Lot to Like About International Year of Plant Health The Grower

May 9, 2018: PlantForm receives European patent for tobacco plant-based platform Biopharma-Reporter.com

May 8, 2018: Plantform Corporation receives patent from the European Patent Office Laboratory Focus

January 5, 2018: Plant-made pharma specialist faces challenges of outsourcing to grow business Laboratory Focus

January 3, 2018: 2018 Outlook: Biosimilar Trends To Watch Biosimilar Development

December 28, 2017: Did The 2017 Biosimilar Industry Pave The Way For A Productive 2018? Biosimilar Development

August 9, 2017: Plant-Based Biosimilar Development Takes Root In Brazil Biosimilar Development

June 21, 2017: Brazilian plant to make Humira biosimilar in 'tobacco-based bioreactors' Biopharma-Reporter.com

June 20, 2017: Major step in the evolution of plant-based pharmaceuticals GuelphToday.com

June 19, 2017: Construction of PlantForm-Axis Biotech’s Brazilian biosimilar lab begins Biotechnology Focus

August 9, 2016: Biotech firm leverages Ontario talent for global success Invest in Ontario

August 3, 2016: #HumansofMaRS: Plantform is building Canadian-based biotech for international markets MaRS Blog

July 12, 2016: Special Report on Cell Biology: Sweetening the pot DDNews

May 9, 2016: Navigating Brazil's Emerging Biosimilar Market Biosimilar Development

May 2, 2016: "Growing" Biosimilars: How Plants Bolster Manufacturing Efficiency Biosimilar Development

March 1, 2016: Grown in Guelph: Tobacco plants that fight terrorist tactics and cancer Guelph Today

June 15, 2015: Guelph firm PlantForm making great strides in fight against Ebola Sudan Guelph Mercury

May 4, 2015: These Bioengineered Tobacco Plants are Growing Pharmaceuticals of the Future Motherboard

April 9, 2015: Feds back PlantForm's development of antibody treatments for HIV strains Biotechnology Focus.ca

April 5, 2015: Guelph biotech firm’s HIV work gets funding Guelph Mercury

March 17, 2015: Tobacco plants to fight Ebola, nerve gas exposure Ag Innovation Ontario

February 20, 2015: Guelph company developing life-saving drugs from tobacco plants Ag Innovation Ontario

December 11, 2014: Guelph firm growing nerve-gas protection Guelph Mercury

November 17, 2014: Researchers Turn to Deadly Tobacco for Ebola Cure Voice of America | Zimbabwe

October 18, 2014: How tobacco plants can help fight Ebola CTV National News

October 3, 2014: Tobacco plant may be key to Ebola drugs CNN.com

August 22, 2014: Plant-made drugs could be the future Al Jazeera America

August 22, 2014: More biosimilars collaborations on the cards GaBI online

August 17, 2014: 'Plantibodies' drugs advance as big pharma stands aside Reuters

July 23, 2014: Brazilian JV looks to tap plant-based manufacturing system for biosimilars BioPharma-Reporter.com

July 8, 2014: An interview with Don Stewart, President, CEO, and founder of PlantForm Corporation The Biosimilarz Blog!

July 2, 2014: PlantForm and PharmaPraxis Establish Joint Biosimilar Development Venture BioPharm International.com

June 11, 2014: A round-up of innovative medical developments happening right here in Toronto YongeStreet

May 19, 2014: Biosimilars: 11 drugs to watch Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

May 13, 2014: Biotech Angels at work-on uppers or downers? And can you change their meds? Biotechnology Focus

December 3, 2013: Game Changers in Agriculture Profiles PlantForm Corporation Ontario Agri-Food Technologies/BioTalk.ca video

August 21, 2013: PlantForm attracts investment for cancer drug Guelph Mercury

August 13, 2013: PlantForm gets more funding for HIV antibodies Guelph Mercury

May 24, 2013: PlantForm PharmaPraxis agree to improve drugs as a team Biotechnology Focus

May 17, 2013: Pharming New Fields BioBusiness Magazine

May 15, 2013: PlantForm: Curing cancer with tobacco OntarioInnovation

May 12, 2013: Tobacco can cure cancer Contact, Accessible Media Inc. (audio)

January 31, 2013: Healing Power of Plants The agAdvance

January 21, 2013: Interview with CEO Don Stewart CEOCFO Magazine

January 19, 2013: Tobacco cancer drug Global Toronto News Hour

January 11, 2013: Ontario scientists using tobacco to replicate common breast cancer drug Global News

January 8, 2013: Tobacco goes pink Research magazine, 2012-13 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition

November 27, 2012: PlantForm to develop medical countermeasure against chemical threats Biotechnology Focus

November 19, 2012: U.S. defence agency looks to Guelph to develop nerve gas antidote Guelph Mercury

October 10, 2012: Biologics and biologic products OSMT Advocate

May 18, 2012: Venture Forum aids first impressions The Buffalo News

February 29, 2012: Your Money Matters: PlantForm profile 570 News (radio interview with CEO Don Stewart)

February 23, 2012: Guelph firm seeks to use tobacco to fight cancer Guelph Mercury

January 31, 2012: Can tobacco be used to cure cancer? The Globe and Mail

December 15, 2011: Plant-made pharmaceuticals: an ongoing debate Ag-West Bio Bio-Bulletin

October 16, 2011: PlantForm gearing up to ‘grow’ breast cancer drug using tobacco as a host Lambton Shield.com

September 21, 2011: The kinder side of tobacco An independent supplement by MediaPlanet to the National Post

May 15, 2011: Biosimilars Proceed With Caution From Starting Gate Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

March 21, 2011: Business innovation through R&D tax credits CBC Radio, World at Six report

January 4, 2011: Fighting cancer with tobacco Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade

June 24, 2010: Business gala shines spotlight on the city's bright lights Guelph Mercury

May 1, 2009: Platform for growth Rex Magazine

Publications

Bacterial growth-mediated systems remodelling of Nicotiana benthamiana defines unique signatures of target protein production in molecular pharming. Nicholas Prudhomme, Rebecca Pastora, Sarah Thomson, Edison Zheng, Amanda Sproule, Jonathan R. Krieger, J. Patrick Murphy, David P. Overy, Doug Cossar, Michael D. McLean, Jennifer Geddes-McAlister. Plant Biotechnology Journal 22 March 2024

Hemopexin reverses activation of lung eIF2a and decreases mitochondrial injury in chlorine-exposed mice, Sadis Matalon, Zhihong Yu, Shubham Dubey, Israr Ahmad, Emily M. Stephens, Ammar Saadoon Alishlash, Ashley Meyers, Douglas Cossar, Donald Stewart, Edward P. Acosta, Kyoko Kojima, Tamas Jilling and James A. Mobley. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 326: L440–L457, 2024

The emerging role of mass spectrometry-based proteomics in molecular pharming practices. Jennifer Geddes-McAlister, NicholasPrudhomme, Davier Gutierrez Gongora, DougCossar, Michael D.McLean. Current Opinion in Chemical Biology Volume 68, June 2022

Enhanced ability of plant-derived PGT121 glycovariants to eliminate HIV-1-infected cells. Sai Priya Anand, Shilei Ding, William D. Tolbert, Jérémie Prévost, Jonathan Richard, Hwi Min Gil, Gabrielle Gendron-Lepage, Wing-Fai Cheung, Haifeng Wang, Rebecca Pastora, Hirak Saxena, Warren Wakarchuk, Halima Medjahed, Bruce D. Wines, P. Mark Hogarth, George M. Shaw, Malcom A. Martin, Dennis R. Burton, Lars Hangartner, David T. Evans, Marzena Pazgier, Doug Cossar, Michael D. McLean, Andrés Finzi. Journal of Virology July 7, 2021

Quantitative proteomic profiling of shake-flask versus bioreactor growth reveals distinct responses of Agrobacterium tumefaciens for preparation in molecular pharming. Nicholas Prudhomme, Connor Gianetto-Hill, Rebecca Pastora, Wing-Fai Cheung, Emma Allen-Vercoe, Michael D McLean, Doug Cossar, Jennifer Geddes-McAlister. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 2020 Aug 26. doi: 10.1139/cjm-2020-0238. Online ahead of print.

Exposure of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to agroinfiltration medium demonstrates cellular remodeling and may promote enhanced adaptability for molecular pharming. Nicholas Prudhomme, Rebecca Pastora, Benjamin Muselius, Mike McLean, Doug Cossar, Jennifer Geddes-McAlister. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 2020 Jul 28. doi: 10.1139/cjm-2020-0239. Online ahead of print.

A Broad and Potent H1-Specific Human Monoclonal Antibody Produced in Plants Prevents Influenza Virus Infection and Transmission in Guinea Pigs. Jun-Gyu Park, Chengjin Ye, Michael S. Piepenbrink, Aitor Nogales, Haifeng Wang, Michael Shuen, Ashley J. Meyers, Luis Martinez-Sobrido, James J. Kobie. Viruses 020 Feb; 12(2): 167

Trastuzumab Made in Plants Using vivoXPRESS® Platform Technology. McLean MD. J Drug Des Res 4(5): 1052 (2017)

Plant-based Production of Biosimilar Drug Products. So Kenny KY, Marit MR, McLean MD, Hall JC. Chapter 17 in Biosimilar Drug Product Development, Eds. Endrenyi L, Declerck PJ, Chow SC. 

The case for plant-made veterinary immunotherapeutics. Topp E, Irwin R, McAllister T, Lessard M, Joensuu JJ, Kolotilin I, Conrad U, Stöger E, Mor T, Warzecha H, Hall JC, McLean MD, Cox E, Devriendt B, Potter A, Depicker A, Virdi V, Holbrook L, Doshi K, Dussault M, Friendship R, Yarosh O, Yoo HS, MacDonald J, Menassa R. Biotechnology Advances, Sept.-Oct. 2016. 34 (5): 597-604.

Waiving in vivo studies for monoclonal antibody biosimilar development: National and global challenges. Kathryn Chapman, Akosua Adjei, Paul Baldrick, Antonio da Silva, Karen De Smet, Richard DiCicco, Seung Suh Hong, David Jones, Michael W. Leach, James McBlane, Ian Ragan, Praveen Reddy, Donald I. H. Stewart, Amanda Suitters, Jennifer Sims. mAbs journal, 06 February 2016

Bringing plant-based veterinary vaccines to market: Managing regulatory and commercial hurdles. Jacqueline MacDonald, Ketan Doshi, Marike Dussault, J. Christopher Hall, Larry Holbrook, Ginny Jones, Angelo Kaldis, Cassidy L. Klima, Phil Macdonald, Tim McAllister, Michael D. McLean, Andrew Potter, Alex Richman, Heather Shearer, Oksana Yarosh, Han Sang Yoo, Edward Topp, Rima Menassa. Biotechnology Advances, December 2015. 33 (8): 1572-81.

Plant-based solutions for veterinary immunotherapeutics and prophylactics. Igor Kolotilin, Ed Topp, Eric Cox, Bert Devreindt, Udo Conrad, Jussi Joensuu, Eva Stöger, Heribert Warzecha, Tim McAllister, Andrew Potter, Michael D McLean, J Christopher Hall, Rima Menassa. Veterinary Research 2014, 45:117, Dec. 31, 2014

In Vivo Neutralization of a-Cobratoxin with High-Affinity Llama Single-Domain Antibodies (VHHs) and a VHH-Fc Antibody. Richard G, Meyers AJ, McLean MD, Arbabi-Ghahroudi M, MacKenzie R, Hall JC. PLOS ONE, July 2013

Utility of the P19 suppressor of gene-silencing protein for production of therapeutic antibodies in Nicotiana expression hosts. Freydoun Garabagi, Erin Gilbert, Andreas Loos, Michael D. McLean and J. Christopher Hall. Plant Biotechnology Journal. Sept. 17, 2012

Purification of the therapeutic antibody trastuzumab from genetically modified plants using safflower Protein A-oleosin oilbody technology. Michael D. McLean, Rongji Chen, Deqiang Yu, Kor-Zheng Mah, John Teat, Haifeng Wang, Steve Zaplachinski, Joseph Boothe and J. Christopher Hall Transgenic Research, March 2, 2012

Recovery and isolation of recombinant human monoclonal antibody from transgenic tobacco plants. Mayani M, McLean MD, Hall, JC, Filipe, CDM, Ghosh, R. Biochemical Engineering Journal, April 15, 2011

Plant-Produced Trastuzumab Inhibits the Growth of HER2 Positive Cancer Cells. Grohs BM, Niu Y, Veldhuis LJ, Trabelsi S, Garabagi F, Hassell JA, McLean MD and Hall JC. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Aug. 27, 2010

Purification of Plant-Derived Antibodies through Direct Immobilization of Affinity Ligands on Cellulose. Hussack G, Grohs BM, Almquist KC, McLean MD, Ghosh R, Hall JC. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Feb. 19, 2010

Complexes with anti-epitope tag IgGs improve the therapeutic potential of epitope-tagged antibody fragments. Xie X, Weisser NE, McLean MD, Hall JC. Molecular Immunology, January 2010