Molecular Farming

Same situation with Germany through the work in the field of biotechnology, Indonesia will become the first country that pioneered the molecular farming in Asia. By developing high-value method of protein production using plants as a medium, will be achieved breakthrough reduction of production costs one-tenth of the conventional way of using microbial and animal cells.

This was conveyed Head of Indonesian Institute of Sciences Prof. Umar A Jenie after the signing of the MoU in the field of molecular farming between LIPI and the Fraunhofer Institute of Germany and Kimia Farma, Monday in Jakarta. The same site also made a Letter of Intent in the field of Diagnostic Chip for hepatitis C between Fraunhofer and Kalbe Farma.

Umar further argued, LIPI has pioneered the study of molecular farming, with a focus on proteins for the treatment, namely human erythropoietin for anemia, and protein for the diagnosis, namely sialidase for cancer using tobacco plants. Also developed a vaccine that could dimakanmenggunakan banana plants.

With the result that, LIPI in cooperation with Fraunhofer to develop the technology of molecular farming in tropical countries. This technology was developed based on the lush tropical climate like Indonesia and the landless. Molecular farming emerged in the 1980s and later developed in Europe and America extensively.

Molecular Farming LIPI Team Leader Dr. Arief Budi Witarto added, field trials will be conducted on land owned by LIPI in Cibinong in an area of 150 hectares. Currently being tried planting nine types of local tobacco varieties to choose from fast-growing and soft-leaved in order to facilitate the process of making efficacious drugs proteins.

In his speech, Dr Alfred Grossner, Finance, Senior Vice President of Fraunhofer, menngatakan, biotechnology, molecular farming in particular, has a significant role to overcome the disease and the provision of drugs at cheap prices. Application of molecular farming technology in tobacco plants, for example, will produce cheaper drugs 50-fold compared with the bioreactor.

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Cooperation

In his written speech, State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman explained that Indonesian cooperation with Germany in the field of biotechnology have been initiated since 1998. The development of molecular farming, which will last until the year 2010 represents the second phase of cooperation for both countries.

Molecular farming is focused on four types of pharmaceutical proteins, namely Interferon Alpha 2, Helicase Inhibitor, Human Serum Albumine, and antibodies M-12. Interferon Alfa 2 is known as an efficacious anti-HIV, antihepatitis C, and anticancer. Helicase inhibitors can overcome the disease caused by a Flavivirus, including hepatitis C and dengue fever. Human Serum antiserosis Albumine functions as the liver.

Teamwork for Phase I of Phase II, clearly Kusmayanto, will be held for three years by LIPI and Fraunhofer.

If Phase I is successful, the next scheme will be developed in the second phase (2007-2010) between the Ministry of Research and Technology in this case involves LIPI and BPPT and PT Kimia Farma Tbk and Frauhofer and Bayer or Medartis.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari, in a speech read by Richard Panjaitan, referred to Indonesia today, menghadapu new infectious disease that is steadily growing. One is HIV / AIDS who have not found clinical medicine, but had spread in 29 provinces. Therefore, molecular farming program is expected to participate to produce the drugs required.

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