06.01.03
The National Science Foundation has awarded funding for a Small Business Innovative Research proposal titled, “Regulated Expression of Therapeutic Proteins in Transgenic Brassica Plants” to Integrated BioPharma, Hillside, NJ. The proposal was prepared and submitted by NuCycle Therapy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Integrated BioPharma. The scientists plan to introduce the gene encoding human alpha interferon into Brassica, an edible crop plant, using a novel and proprietary gene transfer method. The GMO plants can then be grown in an environmentally safe way and used as an inexpensive source of human alpha interferon. Interferon is used to treat diseases such as chronic hepatitis and AIDS-related diseases, and a less expensive source of this drug has worldwide health benefits.