Turning to Plant-based Assets for Development Potential

In a move to advance its research and development of novel treatments, BAT (British American Tobacco) has launched KBio Holdings Limited to develop existing technology capabilities of BAT and Kentucky BioProcessing Inc (KBP), the existing BAT-owned US plant biologics organisation.

With a focus on delivering treatments for rare and infectious diseases through developing the potential of both the plant-based technology platform, as well as its existing clinical and pre-clinical vaccines and antibody pipeline, the new company will look to form innovative R&D collaborations and financing aimed at expanding its pipeline and future portfolio, with an ambition of financial self-sufficiency.

A new executive leadership team is to be led Patrick Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of KBio, who brings more than 20 years of experience in leading biotech companies. “I am excited by the opportunity to build on the significant accomplishments made by BAT and KBP. I am confident in the potential of KBio’s powerful plant-based platform, capabilities and emerging early-stage pipeline. To-date, the technology has demonstrated its ability to produce novel antibody and vaccine candidates with high purity at a fraction of the time and cost of current technologies.  The speed and efficiency demonstrated by the KBio platform has significant potential.  This could enable us to progress to clinical studies faster than industry norms, in the hope of delivering treatment solutions more quickly.”

Dr. David O’Reilly, BAT’s Director of Scientific Research, said: “Science and innovation are fundamental to BAT and delivering on our purpose of building A Better Tomorrow. We recognise the potential of our innovative plant-based technology and have established KBio to maximise that potential.  We are excited to see what the future holds.”

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