Human recombinant therapeutic proteins, such as monoclonal antibodies, blood proteins and enzymes, are the fastest growing category of medicines. These biotechnology drugs are composed of complex proteins and are more difficult, time-consuming and expensive to produce than traditional synthetic pharmaceuticals.

The iBioLaunch™ platform holds promise as an easier, more time-efficient and less expensive technology for production of biotech drugs. We are developing and producing plant-made human recombinant antibodies for treatment of influenza and anthrax. These antibodies can be used either before exposure to prevent infection or after exposure as therapeutics.

While predicting the timing of an influenza pandemic is not possible, reducing the potentially devastating impact of an outbreak requires an efficient method to distinguish avian influenza infections from other respiratory diseases, including seasonal flu. There currently are no rapid diagnostic tests available for this purpose. We have discovered an antibody that distinguishes highly pathogenic avian influenza strains from human seasonal influenza viruses and are developing a point-of-care diagnostic product.