PlantForm Corporation

08/29/2023

PlantForm has 2 immediate job openings!
1️⃣ Biotechnology Technician (Guelph or Bolton, ON).
2️⃣ Research Associate 1 (Bolton, ON).

See the full job descriptions here: https://www.plantformcorp.com/careers.aspx

03/28/2023

Signing ceremony in Brazil to mark PlantForm Corporation and Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz's agreement to co-develop a biosimilar pembrolizumab for lung cancer using PlantForm's plant-based vivoXPRESS manufacturing system.

03/20/2023

Press Release: PlantForm and UBC researcher receive GlycoNet funds to develop novel treatment for Type-2 diabetes

GUELPH, Ont., CANADA, March 20, 2023 — PlantForm Corporation has teamed up with a University of British Columbia research group led by Dr. Joerg Bohlmann to develop a novel plant-based treatment option for Type-2 diabetes and obesity, with support from GlycoNet (Canadian Glycomics Network).

03/07/2023

We're pleased to announce that PlantForm Corporation and Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz have signed a new agreement to develop a pembrolizumab cancer drug and up to 5 future products for the Brazilian and other world markets.

Pembrolizumab is widely used alone or in combination with other drugs to treat a variety of cancers including certain types of breast cancer, skin cancer (including melanoma), non-small cell lung cancer and more than a dozen other types.

Read the full press release:

GUELPH, Ont., CANADA, March 7, 2023 — Canadian biopharmaceutical innovator PlantForm Corporation and Bio-Manguinhos / Fiocruz (Health Ministry of Brazil) have signed a collaborative research and development agreement to develop a biosimilar pembrolizumab and up to five future products for the Braz...

02/27/2023

PRESS RELEASE: U.S. Patent Granted for Made-in-Canada Ricin Antibody Technology

The U.S. Patent Office has granted a patent for a plant-based manufacturing process to produce an antibody for treatment of ricin exposure, an outcome of research and development by AntoXa Corporation under contract with Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), an Agency of the Canadian Department of National Defence.

AntoXa, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PlantForm Corporation, has an exclusive license from DRDC to develop and produce the PhD9 monoclonal antibody treatment in plants for sale in markets worldwide.

Read the full press release:

GUELPH, Ont., CANADA, Feb. 27, 2023 — The U.S. Patent Office has granted a patent for a plant-based manufacturing process to produce an antibody for treatment of ricin exposure, an outcome of research and development by AntoXa Corporation under contract with Defence Research & Development Canada (...

12/21/2022

Good news for Ontario: the provincial government is introducing a new policy that requires less expensive versions of biologic drugs to be offered to patients.

Under the new policy, there will be a nine-month transition period that is set to start March 31.

The mandatory switching policy - already adopted in B.C. and Alberta - will save money and better ensure the long-term sustainability of the province’s drug plan, according to a government official

11/17/2022

PlantForm Corporation has received a U.S. patent for our line of fast-growing transgenic plants!

GUELPH, Ont., November 17, 2022 —PlantForm Corporation announced today that the U.S. Patent Office has granted a patent for the Company’s bespoke line of Nicotiana benthamiana plants used to produce monoclonal antibodies, therapeutic proteins and vaccines.

11/01/2022

Our thanks to the Grand River Agricultural Society for supporting our travel to 2022 to discuss regional and global partnering opportunities for PlantForm’s animal health programs.

PlantForm's animal health solutions include the world’s first plant-based vaccine for Classical Swine Fever and an edible antibody that prevents E.coli infection in pigs.

06/20/2022

Read about PlantForm's research collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to prevent E. coli infection in pigs:

F***l contamination of hog carcasses is a serious risk factor for foodborne illness from pork. Researchers recently isolated an E. coli antibody that could be fed to pigs to prevent the spread of infection.

06/13/2022

PlantForm is proud to be advancing biologics innovation with CDMO services using our cost-effective, plant-based vivoXPRESS manufacturing platform.

Learn more: https://plantformcorp.com/cdmo-services.aspx

02/25/2022

An important milestone for plant-made pharmaceuticals - Medicago has received Health Canada approval for its COVID-19 vaccine, the first COVID-19 vaccine to be developed in Canada *and* the first to be manufactured in plants

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/02/24/first-canadian-vaccine-approved-for-covid.html?fbclid=IwAR0xxCkwi2GPaNGCeP8XZbIMadTVAWCsHAlZk4KPeTn47aksDZKpDmrUphQ

Covifenz, by Quebec-based Medicago, uses plant-derived virus particles that mimic the coronavirus’s spike protein.

02/22/2022

Our latest press release: PlantForm and scientists at Aix-Marseille University and The National Centre for Scientific Research in France have announced a material transfer agreement that will provide biosimilar ranibizumab for research aimed at developing a better drug delivery system for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

https://www.plantformcorp.com/news-detail.aspx?id=8c57bf3b-68a3-4140-b20a-2de51c7f4160 #.YhT1su7MIyl

GUELPH, Ont., CANADA, Feb. 22, 2022 — Canadian biopharmaceutical company PlantForm Corporation and scientists at Aix-Marseille University and The National Centre for Scientific Research in France have announced a material transfer agreement that will provide biosimilar ranibizumab for research aim...

10/26/2021

PlantForm Corporation and POSCO International, South Korea’s largest trading company, have signed a Commercialization Agreement to bring HERBAVAC™, the world’s first plant-based vaccine for Classical Swine Fever (CSF), to global markets.

Read the news release:
https://www.plantformcorp.com/news-detail.aspx?id=646de7a4-85b5-4789-b86e-16224aa697eb #.YXhKH2ZKg1h

08/18/2021

Employment Opportunity: PlantForm has an immediate opening for a Research Assistant. Learn more and apply here:
https://plantformcorp.com/careers.aspx

08/17/2021

PlantForm subsidiary AntoXa Corporation has announced a contract extension with federal government to develop a plant-made protein for potential coronavirus therapy.

http://antoxacorp.com/antoxa-corporation-awarded-contract-extension-with-federal-government-to-develop-plant-made-protein-for-potential-coronavirus-therapy/

AntoXa Corporation awarded contract extension with federal government to develop plant-made protein for potential coronavirus therapy August 17, 2021 By antoxa DRDC-funded project aims to develop recombinant human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a potential drug candidate for COVID-19 GUEL...

07/28/2021

A new American Society for Microbiology Journal of Virology publication—a collaboration between PlantForm Corporation and the Andrés Finzi lab at Centre de recherche du CHUM)—shows how manipulation of the glycan composition on a monoclonal antibody using the vivoXPRESS® platform can modify the biological activity of the antibody to enhance its therapeutic potential.

https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/JVI.00796-21

07/26/2021

New U.S. legislation promotes education on to encourage rapid uptake.

Most biosimilars (follow-on biologic products) still only have shares below 50% in the U.S., which is far different than market shares in Europe. One major reason is a mistrust around biosimilars’ safety and efficacy. Congress has stepped in to address that issue through the Advancing Educa...

06/08/2021

PlantForm CEO Dr. Don Stewart discusses the future for biosimilars in 2 sessions at BIO KOREA tomorrow (June 9): Biosimilars in the COVID-19 Era and International Opportunities for Biosimilars

https://www.biokorea.org/program/conference_01.asp

05/11/2021

News Release: PlantForm, Bioapp and POSCO International sign MOU to bring Classical Swine Fever vaccine to global markets

https://bit.ly/3xXsboB

04/06/2021

Press Release: PlantForm signs agreement with Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz to develop a biosimilar pembrolizumab cancer drug.

"This agreement advances PlantForm's collaborations in Brazil to make affordable, effective cancer drugs available to millions of Brazilians," said Don Stewart, PlantForm's President and CEO. "It also advances PlantForm's global strategy for biosimilar drug development and manufacturing to increase affordability and access to a wide range of life-saving medications."

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/plantform-signs-agreement-with-bio-manguinhos-fiocruz-to-develop-a-biosimilar-pembrolizumab-cancer-drug-857594547.html

/CNW/ - PlantForm Corporation, PlantPraxis Biotecnologia and Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz (Health Ministry of Brazil) today announced a collaborative research and...

03/15/2021

Press release: PlantForm applies for Health Canada approval to bring Viologix rapid COVID-19 antigen test to Canada

GUELPH, Ont., March 15, 2021 – PlantForm Corporation, a pioneering leader in plant-based antibody drug manufacturing technology, today announced the submission of the Viologix COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test Kit to Health Canada for approval and use in Canada.

01/12/2021

Canada’s Medicago expects to deliver 80 million doses of plant-made vaccine this year, showing how plant-based platforms can provide innovative health-care solutions with government support.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7561871/medicago-covid19-vaccine-tobacco/

For years Medicago said a pandemic was coming and we should be ready. Today, it is a leading contender to create a made-in-Canada COVID-19 vaccine.

12/23/2020

We wish you the best of the season, and happiness and health in the new year!

12/17/2020

News Release: PlantForm Corporation has teamed up with scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Western University to develop an edible antibody therapeutic that targets E. coli infection in pigs.

The two-year project is supported by $150,000 through the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative, created by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs - Omafra to stimulate innovation in support of Ontario's agri-food sector, food safety and rural communities.

GUELPH, Ont., Canada, Dec. 17, 2020 — PlantForm Corporation has teamed up with scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Western University to develop an edible antibody therapeutic that protects human and animal health by preventing E. coli 0157 infection in pigs.

12/01/2020

News release: A PlantForm research partnership with University of Alberta scientist Warren Wakarchuk has been awarded a Nserc Canada Alliance grant to enable commercial-scale production of protein drugs

GUELPH, Ont., Dec. 1, 2020 — PlantForm Corporation and University of Alberta scientist Dr. Warren Wakarchuk have received an Alliance Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) for research to enable commercial-scale production of effective, low-cost, plant-made prot...

11/16/2020

We're excited to announce agreements with Cape Bio Pharms' Cape Biologix Technologies and Inno-3B to commercialize a COVID-19 antibody blood test

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/cape-biologix-technologies-inno-3b-and-plantform-corporation-announce-agreements-to-commercialize-covid-19-antibody-blood-test-816213266.html

09/16/2020

Don Stewart will be speaking about PlantForm's work on the COVID-19 front at the Silicon Halton TU20 Tech Under Twenty event on Saturday (Sept. 19). Register here:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/techundertwenty-expo-2020-tickets-118371162333

Learn about upcoming and exciting developments in the world, and how the current COVID-19 pandemic is impacting businesses!

08/06/2020

A PlantForm research partnership with Dr. Warren Wakarchuk of the University of Alberta Faculty of Science aims for a more effective serology test, work supported by an NSERC / CRSNG Alliance Grant
Read the press release: https://bit.ly/3advVqF

06/18/2020

PlantForm's in the The Globe and Mail today!

CEO Don Stewart is quoted regarding the challenges of moving research out of academic environments and into product development: "It’s expensive and risky, but you can only move these things forward if you provide money and are prepared to take risks.”

Innovators hope to translate discoveries into commercial success

06/01/2020

Check out this interview with PlantForm CEO Don Stewart about our work to develop a blood test for COVID-19 antibodies. Thanks to DUX - Your Local City Guide for featuring PlantForm!

04/23/2020

Read our White Paper on Recommendations for an Effective Testing Strategy, which discusses the need for a large-scale serological analysis for SARS-CoV-2

Our first priority in the response to the current COVID-19 pandemic should be to minimize deaths due to the disease, but it is also important that we limit the impact of COVID-19 on other health concerns, as well as on broader societal and economic interests. COVID-19 is associated with considerable...

04/23/2020

PlantForm is proud to be featured with such an inspiring group of enterprises in this MaRS Discovery District article about Canadian companies tackling the COVID-19 crisis:

While the outbreak continues to spread around the world, experts in Canada are working to contain the virus.

04/14/2020

PlantForm CEO Don Stewart talked to Matt Galloway on CBC Radio: The Current this morning about COVID-19 immunity testing (Don's interview starts at the ~8:35 mark)
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-63-the-current/clip/15770769-april-14-part-1-tools-to-end-the-lockdown-inside-a-toronto-hospital-having-a-baby-during-the-pandemic

CBC Radio's The Current is a meeting place of perspectives with a fresh take on issues that affect Canadians today.

04/13/2020

Read about PlantForm's work to develop Canada's first antibody test for COVID-19 immunity in the Guelph Mercury Tribune:

A Guelph biotechnology firm is working with researchers on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean to come up with a blood test for the coronavirus. PlantForm has applied for funding from National...

04/09/2020

More from our partner Inno-3B on our collaboration to help fight

St-Pacôme, Quebec, Canada — April 9th, 2020

04/07/2020

And now for some good news! PlantForm Corporation is collaborating with Inno-3B, Cape Bio Pharms, Microbix Inc. and other partners on initiatives to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Read the press release here:



MaRS Discovery District

/CNW/ - PlantForm Corporation is working with Canadian and international partners on two initiatives that will use the company's plant-based biopharmaceutical...

03/02/2020

The Ontario government is moving forward with a policy favouring , joining B.C. and Alberta in switching patients from brand name biologics to biosimilars.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-policy-switch-biosimilars-biologics-remicade-janssen/

Policy would switch patients on public drug plans to less-expensive versions of their medications, saving province tens of millions of dollars a year

02/28/2020

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has declared 2020 the International Year of Plant Health. PlantForm's approach to plant health for manufacturing excellence is discussed in this article in The Grower:

http://www.thegrower.org/news/there%E2%80%99s-lot-about-international-year-plant-health

02/28/2020

Our congratulations to Ron Hosking, PlantForm's CFO, on receiving Life Sciences Ontario's Volunteer Award 2020 at a gala in Toronto last night. Ron has been an LSO volunteer since the organization was formed in 1989 and a committee member of the Annual LSO Golf Tournament since the first event in 2001.

01/15/2020

We're using our plant-based vivoXPRESS® manufacturing platform to provide anti-HIV antibodies for a research collaboration involving scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Université de Montréal and The University of Alabama, supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Read more:

PlantForm will use its plant-based vivoXPRESS® manufacturing platform to provide anti-HIV antibodies for the project, led by Dr. David T. Evans at the UW-Madison AIDS Vaccine Research Laboratory and the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Dr. Andrés Finzi at the Centre de Recherche du CHU...