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Plant Molecular Farming: A Boon for Developing Countries

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Tools & Techniques of Plant Molecular Farming

Part of the book series: Concepts and Strategies in Plant Sciences ((CSPS))

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Abstract

Developing countries are often at the back of the queue to receive much-needed vaccines and diagnostics. This chapter discusses the diseases prevalent to a handful of these countries and how plant molecular farming can be an effective, feasible, and timely solution to these challenges. The chapter has a strong focus on health care, particularly diagnostic and vaccines/therapeutic proteins as the main contribution. The chapter suggests that PMF could be a tool to uplift, empower, and build capability within developing countries. Instead of relying on foreign “aid” from the developing world, these countries can take matters into their own hands, with homegrown solutions. A case study of the author’s own molecular farming company in Cape Town, South Africa, is presented as proof of concept. From edible vaccines to the One Health concept, the chapter explores how the plant-based platform is a boon for developing nations.

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Abbreviations

API:

Active pharmaceutical ingredient

BRU:

Biopharming Research Unit

BVDV:

Bovine viral diarrhea virus

CBP:

Cape Bio Pharms

CBT:

Cape Biologix Technologies

CDC:

Centers for Disease Control

cGMP:

Current good manufacturing practice

COPD:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

COVID-19:

Coronavirus disease 2019

CSIR:

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

CVD:

Cardiovascular disease

FDA:

Food and Drug Administration

FIND:

Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics

FMD:

Foot and mouth disease

GCD:

β-Glucocerebrosidase

GD:

Gaucher disease

GLP:

Good laboratory practice

HDI:

Human Development Index

HIV:

Human immunodeficiency virus

INTA:

National Institute of Agricultural Technology

ISPMF:

International Society for Plant Molecular Farming

KBP:

Kentucky BioProcessing

LMIC:

Low- and middle-income countries

NAb:

Neutralizing antibody

NCD:

Non-communicable diseases

NVD:

Newcastle disease virus

OECD:

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

PALM:

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

PAVM:

Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing

PBFD:

Psittacine beak and feather disease

PMF:

Plant molecular farming

RHD:

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease

RNA:

Ribonucleic acid

SAHPRA:

South African Health Products Regulatory Authority

TB:

Tuberculosis

UN:

United Nations

VLP:

Virus-like particle

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Acknowledgments

The Biopharming Research Unit at the University of Cape Town.

Research Contracts and Innovation (RC&I) office at the University of Cape Town.

DTI, THRIP (South African Government Department of Trade and Industry).

University of Cape Town.

The Evergreen Fund.

University Technology Fund (UTF).

Markus Sack, consultant to Cape Biologix and original designer of SARS-CoV-2 spike sequences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cape Bio Pharms Pty Ltd., Unit 3, The Powder Mill, Ndabeni, Cape Town, South Africa

    Tamlyn Shaw & Francisco Pera

  2. Cape Biologix Technologies Pty Ltd., Unit 3, The Powder Mill, Ndabeni, Cape Town, South Africa

    Tamlyn Shaw, Sandra Jordaan, Tarin Ramsaroop, Francisco Pera & Maribanyana Lebeko

Authors
  1. Tamlyn Shaw
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  2. Sandra Jordaan
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  3. Tarin Ramsaroop
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  4. Francisco Pera
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  5. Maribanyana Lebeko
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tamlyn Shaw .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Prof. Chittaranjan Kole Foundation for Science and Society, Kolkata, India

    Chittaranjan Kole

  2. ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, India

    Anurag Chaurasia

  3. Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Kathleen L. Hefferon

  4. Berhampur University, Berhampur, India

    Jogeswar Panigrahi

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Shaw, T., Jordaan, S., Ramsaroop, T., Pera, F., Lebeko, M. (2023). Plant Molecular Farming: A Boon for Developing Countries. In: Kole, C., Chaurasia, A., Hefferon, K.L., Panigrahi, J. (eds) Tools & Techniques of Plant Molecular Farming. Concepts and Strategies in Plant Sciences. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4859-8_11

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