Bioreactor-Grown, Nature-Inspired
Genetically modified plant cells producing FDA-approved generic pharmaceuticals
About Leafless
What Leafless does
I engineer in vitro plant cell cultures to grow faster and generate more target alkaloids. My first optimized organism is a suspension cell line derived from embryonic tissue of the rare and slow-growing Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia). This cell line synthesizes paclitaxel, an expensive chemotherapy drug with a market size >$5 billion. This market is currently being served by non-genetically modified yew cell lines.
Yews and other conifers have long been thought to be recalcitrant to genome editing approaches. This was incorrect, and by mining high throughput sequencing data, we can generate genetic tools and DNA constructs compatible with conifer biology. Genome editing allows us to extend the life span of the cell line, increase its rate of replication, and amplify natural product synthesis pathways such that we'll be able produce paclitaxel more efficiently than anyone else.
Leafless is in the pre-seed stage with ambitions to buy and build infrastructure to scale the business. Investing in commercial bioreactors and preparative HPLC will enable Leafless to generate large quantities of paclitaxel and proceed with bioequivalence studies and an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the FDA to work towards revenue generation. A lab for genome editing and high-throughput screening of mutants will enable this cell line and future products to evolve and improve. Ultimately, we will disrupt the global chemotherapy market and bring the cost of cancer down.
Contact Us
Leafless
817-357-5162 seth@leafless.bio San Antonio, TX USA
Hours (CST)
Mon | 05:00 am – 12:00 am | |
Tue | 05:00 am – 12:00 am | |
Wed | 05:00 am – 12:00 am | |
Thu | 05:00 am – 12:00 am | |
Fri | 05:00 am – 12:00 am | |
Sat | 05:00 am – 12:00 am | |
Sun | 05:00 am – 12:00 am |
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