CHINESE YEAST FACTORY BOOSTS CANCER DRUG PRODUCTION SPEED 1,000 TIMES

A research team at Zhejiang University announced that they have engineered ordinary yeast cells to produce the anti‑cancer drug vinblastine, increasing production speed by about one thousand times. The breakthrough, reported on March 29, 2024, could dramatically lower the cost and improve the reliability of a drug that has traditionally been scarce and expensive.

According to the South China Morning Post, the new yeast‑based system could produce vinblastine far more efficiently than the current method of extracting it from the Madagascar periwinkle plant. In nature it takes roughly two tonnes of dried leaves to yield just one gram of the drug, a process that has made vinblastine costlier than gold by weight. The new method therefore promises a much larger output with a simpler, scalable production platform.

Vinblastine is a key chemotherapeutic agent used to treat several cancers, including lymphoma and testicular cancer. Its limited supply has historically constrained treatment options and kept prices high.

• Zhejiang University researchers engineered yeast to produce vinblastine, boosting speed by ~1,000×
• The drug is traditionally sourced from Madagascar periwinkle, where 2 tonnes of leaves yield only 1 gram, driving up costs
• The new production method could reduce cost and improve supply reliability for cancer patients

Read the original source for full detail available at News - South China Morning Post src