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Tobacco Plants Grown for Cancer Treatment Research

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

Smoking tobacco is known to be one of the leading causes of cancer, but new research at the University of Guelph could turn this cancer causing plant into a possible treatment in fighting the disease.  

Plants are being grown with a cancer fighting antibody called trastuzumab, which helps stop tumours from growing while providing a boost to the immune system. Trastuzumab made using tobacco plants is a low cost antibody, which is being explored as a possible cost effective option for future breast cancer treatment. Scientists aim to have trastuzumab on the market by 2016.

Tobacco plants are an ideal host for the production of therapeutic antibodies. Its biology and genetics have been well researched and are easy to grow. An added benefit is that tobacco plants aren’t grown for human consumption, which also reduces the risk of spreading unwanted bacteria into the food supply.

Researchers have completed trails on mice and found that the antibody was effective in reducing the size of breast cancer tumours. Scientists hope to begin conducting human clinical trials shortly. The lead researcher on the project is Dr. Chris Hall, who is a Canada Research Chair in Recombinant Antibody Technology.
 


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Funds Ditch Ag Commodities, Chase Stocks Amid an End to Middle East War, & Trade Deal Buzz

Video: Funds Ditch Ag Commodities, Chase Stocks Amid an End to Middle East War, & Trade Deal Buzz


The 12-day war between Iran-Israel came to an end sending crude oil futures plunging as the big fund speculators removed the war risk premium.

The weather risk premium in the Ag complex is sending corn, wheat and soybean futures lower on month-end selling ahead of the market moving USDA quarterly grain stocks and acreage reports on June 30th.

Instead, funds were chasing and sending tech stocks higher with the S&P 500/NASDAQ indexes setting new all-time record highs!

June 1 USDA Hogs and pigs report was slightly bearish while the U.S. $ Index traded to new contract lows as the de-dollarization that began in 2014 continues.

Feed in the form of soybean meal futures for livestock producers got cheaper, trading to new contract lows.

The Stats Canada seeded acreage update was bullish canola and wheat.