Dow to develop obesity treatment

In a collaborative arrangement, Dow Chemical Company and NOBEX Corporation will develop a new plant-based peptide to serve as an appetite suppressant to treat obesity. Dow's research has traditionally focused on antibodies, but according to NOBEX director Radha Krishnan, PhD, "Their plantbased approach appealed to us because of the prospects for lower costs, higher expression levels, and higher volume production." The expression of the peptide is expected to take place in plant cell suspension. Once that is successful, the production will be increased and later conjugated to oral administration. Because of the increasing numbers of obese patients in the United States, the manufacturers anticipate a large demand for commercial use.