Techno-Economic Analysis of Horseradish Peroxidase Production Using a Transient Expression System in Nicotiana benthamiana

Abstract

Abstract:Despite the advantages of plant-based transient expression systems relative to microbial or mammalian cell systems, the commercial production of recombinant proteins using plants has not yet been achieved to any significant extent. One of the challenges has been the lack of published data on the costs of manufacture for products other than biopharmaceuticals. In this study, we report on the technoeconomic analysis of the production of a standard commercial enzyme, namely horseradish peroxidase (HRP), using a transient expression system in Nicotiana benthamiana. Based on the proven plant yield of 240 mg HRP/kg biomass, a biomass productivity of 15 kg biomass/m2/year and a process yield of 54% (mg HRP product/mg HRP in biomass), it is apparent that HRP can be manufactured economically via transient expression in plants in a large scale facility (> 5 kg HRP/year). At this level, the process is competitive vs. the existing technology (extraction of the enzyme from horseradish) and the product is of comparable or improved activity, containing only the preferred isoenzyme C. Production scale, protein yield and biomass productivity are found to be the most important determinants of overall viability.

A synthetic biology approach for consistent production of plant‐made recombinant polyclonal antibodies against snake venom toxins

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“…To this end, we need a better understanding of the production costs of GRFT. Many theoretical studies have been performed examining the cost of goods of multiple products to demonstrate the economic feasibility of PMPs, all of which show that the economics is product, process and scale dependent (Tuse et al ., ; Walwyn et al ., ). Success of GRFT‐based commercial products is dependent on its performance in preclinical and clinical trials (safety and efficacy); however, practical issues regarding its availability as a sexual health product to a substantial population of potential users is contingent on the cost, which is driven in part by the production process.…”

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