Kentucky BioProcessing, LLC Acquires Plant Based Gene Expression Technology
OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY—As part of a continued commitment to maintaining its position as a world leader in the development of the plant-made pharmaceutical industry, Kentucky BioProcessing, LLC (KBP) recently completed acquisition of the GENEWARE® intellectual property platform—designed and created to enable the expression of genes and the proteins which they encode in plants.
The GENEWARE® system is widely recognized as one of the world’s most potent, robust and effective plant-based gene expression systems. Its acquisition complements KBP’s existing facilities, expertise and intellectual property portfolio. KBP can now operate as a single source provider for anyone interested in the expression, extraction and purification of a therapeutic protein or other high value product for commercial purposes.
While there are a number of technologies enabling the expression of proteins in plants, most systems are held on a proprietary basis with limited commercial availability for those outside of its immediate ownership. In announcing the acquisition, KBP signaled its intent to use the technology as a tool in business development. It also seeks to enhance the reputation of the Owensboro area in the plant-made pharmaceutical and plant-made industrial protein industry by offering broad commercial licensing opportunities to the GENEWARE® system.
“We believe that combining the availability of this enabling technology with our processing and commercial scale production capabilities enables us to offer researchers, collaborators and other product developers a clearly defined commercialization path and competitive advantage,” KBP Chief Operating Officer Barry Bratcher said.
The GENEWARE® technology is typically used with a specially developed variety of the tobacco plant. This quick-growing plant serves as a high-yield ‘factory’ for bulk production of human, animal or plant proteins. This use of the tobacco plant plays to the strengths of Owensboro area farmers who have demonstrated tremendous expertise at cultivation of crops for use in biotechnology and plant-made protein production. Commercialization of a single product using the GENEWARE® technology could result in creation of large new markets for Kentucky farmers. KBP’s purchase of the technology was supported in part by a loan from the Kentucky Agriculture Development Fund administered by the Governor’s Office of Agriculture Policy.
“The acquisition of this technology was a natural fit for us,” said Hugh Haydon, Chairman for KBP. “It perfectly supports our objectives as well as those of our parent organization, Owensboro Medical Health System (OMHS), by enabling creation of novel new products for the treatment and prevention of disease. The GENEWARE® platform also enhances our ability to drive economic development for both our region and the state. We are very grateful for the vision and support of OMHS and the Agriculture Development Board.”
MORE: KBP (www.kbpllc.com ) is located in Owensboro , Kentucky and maintains a highly experienced staff and facilities focused on expression, extraction, purification and commercial scale production of proteins and other products from plants. KBP offers clients and collaborators access to controlled plant growth facilities along with bench, pilot and full scale processing facilities capable of production under cGMP conditions. In addition to its own capabilities KBP is able to leverage the experienced staff and facilities of the Owensboro Cancer Research Program and provides linkages to the considerable plant-made product expertise of the Owensboro area agriculture community and to other services offered throughout the region designed to support research, development and growth of a plant-made product business cluster.