Targeting Gut Diseases with Precision: Plantibodies' Green Innovation in Oral Delivery

In the ever-evolving field of biotechnology, we are witnessing a paradigm shift in how therapies are developed, manufactured, and delivered. At Plantibodies , we aim to be at the forefront of this transformation. Our mission is not to merely improve the current treatment landscape but to revolutionize it by introducing oral biologics targeted at gut diseases, using plants to produce, encapsulate, and deliver these therapies in ways that were previously unimaginable.

The Challenge: Gut-Related Diseases

Millions worldwide suffer from gut-related conditions such as cancers, inflammatory disorders, infections, and metabolic diseases. The gastrointestinal tract (GI) is a vast interface, hosting over 70% of the body's immune cells within the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). This makes the gut not only essential for digestion but also a central hub for immune responses—a critical target for innovative treatments.

Unfortunately, current therapies, especially for severe conditions like colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are primarily delivered through intravenous (IV) infusions. These systemic treatments are far from optimal. Often, less than 5% of the injected biologic drug reaches the target site in the gut. As a result, patients face limited therapeutic efficacy and widespread off-target effects, including severe toxicities that lead to frequent hospitalizations and significantly reduce their quality of life. Additionally, the high costs associated with such therapies only exacerbate these challenges.

The Limitation of Current Approaches

Efforts within the biotech industry to address these limitations have led to billions being invested in oral biologics. Technologies such as robotic capsules and physicochemical coatings have shown some promise, but they come with significant hurdles—particularly for large biologics like monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Unlike small molecules, large biologics are quickly degraded in the acidic environment of the stomach and by digestive enzymes within the GI tract, rendering them ineffective before they reach the intended target.

Smaller biologics like peptides have seen some progress in oral delivery, but large biologics remain a major challenge. Standard encapsulation techniques often lead to aggregation, destabilization, and a loss of function. Additionally, formulations designed to specifically target the colon remain suboptimal. While progress is being made, the industry still grapples with ensuring that these biologics remain stable, bioavailable, and therapeutically effective by the time they reach the colon.

The Untapped Potential of Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells (TRMs)

Over recent years, our understanding of the immune system has deepened, especially in the context of tissue-resident memory T cells (TRMs). Unlike circulating T cells, TRMs remain within tissues, offering localized immune responses. These cells are emerging as critical targets for treating various diseases, including inflammation, infections, and cancers.

However, systemic injections of biologics are inefficient for targeting TRMs, particularly in tissues like the colon, where a significant population of colon-resident TRMs play key roles in disease control. The inability to effectively target these cells limits the success of current treatments. Plantibodies’ vision addresses this gap, offering the potential to precisely target TRMs in the colon, enabling better disease control with fewer side effects.

Plantibodies’ Solution: A New Era in Biologic Delivery

At Plantibodies, we have developed a groundbreaking platform that overcomes these limitations. Our patented technology leverages the natural properties of edible plant cells to both produce and encapsulate biologics for oral delivery. This approach ensures that therapeutic proteins are protected as they travel through the digestive system and reach the colon intact.

Localized drug delivery is the core of our innovation. By delivering biologics directly to the site of disease in the gut, our platform achieves high therapeutic concentrations where they are needed most, minimizing systemic exposure. This approach reduces toxicity, enhances precision, and improves patient outcomes, all while offering a cost-effective, scalable, and environmentally friendly solution.

The advantages of our colon targeted oral biologics platform

1. Improved Efficacy: By delivering biologics directly to the site of disease in the gut (e.g., areas of inflammation or tumor growth), we achieve higher drug concentrations at the target, significantly improving therapeutic outcomes.
2. Reduced Systemic Toxicity: Localized delivery drastically limits the amount of biologic entering the bloodstream, minimizing systemic side effects and reducing off-target effects, offering a safer and more precise treatment approach.
3. Plug-and-Play Flexibility: Our platform allows for a modular approach—a wide range of biologics can be produced and encapsulated using our technology. This flexibility enables us to address a variety of diseases, from GI-specific conditions to broader autoimmune disorders.
4. Sustainability and Scalability: By using plant-based bioreactors, we achieve a sustainable, cost-effective, and scalable production model. This reduces reliance on expensive infrastructure, making it easier to expand and provide biologic treatments on a global scale.

A Validated Approach

Our platform has already demonstrated success through in vivo production and oral delivery of nivolumab and adalimumab—two mAbs widely used in treating cancers and autoimmune diseases. These serve as proof-of-concept benchmarks, validating the viability of our technology to produce and deliver large biologics effectively.

Our system's flexibility—allowing for the substitution of biologics—opens the door to a vast array of therapeutic possibilities. Whether it’s approved biologics, failed candidates due to toxicity, or new developments, our platform can integrate these biologics and address diseases like IBD, colorectal cancer, and gut infections with unmatched precision.

The Future of Biologics: A Green, Scalable, and Cost-Effective Revolution

At the heart of Plantibodies is a convergence of biotechnology and sustainability. We are pioneering a new era in biologics delivery—one that’s greener, scalable, and capable of reducing the toxicities associated with systemic treatments.

Our technology is designed to reduce hospitalizations, offer patient-friendly treatments, and improve global access to cutting-edge therapies. By continuing to partner with industry leaders, we aim to scale this technology to meet the growing needs of patients, ensuring that highly effective biologics are no longer a luxury but a standard of care available worldwide.

Join us in transforming the future of biologics—where patient-friendly, sustainable, and highly effective therapies redefine the treatment of gut-related diseases. If you share our vision or know someone who does, we invite you to connect with us. Visit www.plantibodies.tech to explore more, share your insights, and introduce us to potential collaborators. Together, we can revolutionize the world of biologic therapies.

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