LSBC is already involved in developing recombinant form aprotinin in tobacco plants, to be distributed by Sigma-Aldrich, according to a recent agreement.
Under the new deal, it will extract privately held Planet Biotechnology's tobacco plants expressing CaroRx secretory IgA at its Owensboro, Kentucky, manufacturing facility.
CaroRx has completed Phase I clinical trials under a US FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) application, one of the first recombinant plant-made antibodies to be clinically tested. The product has been produced through cultivation of genetically modified tobacco.
"Larger quantities of CaroRx are needed for our expanded clinical trials, and testing of formulations for the European market," said Elliott Fineman, president and CEO of Planet Biotechnology.
Kevin Ryan, LSBC's president and CEO, said the new agreement demonstrated "the versatility of our Owensboro manufacturing facility in the extraction of a wide range of products".