Genetically modified crop grown locally for pharmaceuticals
-Monterey County Weekly reports-
By Sara Rubin
Monterey County Weekly reports that Applied Biotechnology Institute bought land near Lockwood to grow genetically modified corn. The product: TrypZean (inset), a synthetic version of an animal enzyme used in pharmaceuticals. Monterey County Weekly pic by Nic Coury.
Somewhere near Paso Robles, John Howard and his team will be harvesting corn for the next few weeks. The exact location of the field is confidential, because they worry “eco-terrorists” might vandalize their stuff.
It’s not just any old corn – it’s been genetically modified to manufacture its own trypsin, an enzyme many animals produce to help digest protein. Howard and his lab staff grind down and process the kernels into a powder. The resulting product, TrypZean, resembles cocaine more than corn.
TrypZean is meant to be a plant-based substitute for trypsin. Howard says his animal-free, synthetic product has the potential to replace trypsin, an ingredient used to activate or inactivate viruses in vaccines. It’s also used in insulin and other medical products.
“The FDA would like the pharmaceutical industry to move away from animals, so they don’t bring in viral contaminants,” he says.
Howard and his San Luis Obispo-based company, Applied Biotechnology Institute (ABI), have been developing TrypZean for about 20 years. The company’s other products include corn-generated brazzein, a super-sweet protein that can be used in food and drinks.
Read the full story in the Monterey County Weekly
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