The Finnish VTT Biotechnology and Belgian Flander Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) have developed a new and effective biotechnological method for producing drugs. The discovery will make it possible to produce anti-cancer drugs at less expense in the near future.

"Industry doesn't have adequate means to produce all the desired plant-derived drug molecules, because the raw material is not available in great amounts or its chemical production is difficult, or even impossible," says Kirsi-Marja Oksman-Caldentey, VTT Biotekniikka's chief research scientist.

A project led by Oksman-Caldentey is looking into how these compounds can be produced by altering the metabolism of plant cells. This is the first systematic study that is aimed at analysing the biosynthesis of plant cells.

Method to be commercialized

Today a quarter of pharmaceuticals are of plant origin, either used as pure compounds or chemically engineered to form appropriate derivatives. For example the plant Catharanthus Roseus (Madagascar Periwinkle) is the source of a compound that is used for the treatment of advanced breast cancer and leukemia," says Oksman-Caldentey.

The method developed by VTT and VIB can produce high-value medical compounds quickly and efficiently in cultivated cells.

"Living plant cells produce complicated chemical compounds. Controlling a cell's metabolism can contribute to the production of the desired high-value compounds. Creating quite new compounds is possible with the new technology," says Oksman-Caldentey.

The new production method can provide alternatives to several extremely expensive drugs in the future. Oksman-Caldentey says that research results are promising.

>> www.vtt.fi

Separating the drugs from the plants is difficult because of the extremely small contents.