PlantForm Corporation is a Canadian biotechnology company focused on the rapid development and production of specialty drugs using a plant-based production system. The vivoXPRESS® system is a reproducible, faster, and less expensive way to produce biologic drugs than traditional manufacturing methods for a broad range of diseases.
Tell us about yourself?
Don is an entrepreneur and scientist with 30-plus years of experience in the biotechnology industry. Starting a technical journey in 1982 with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of London, England, he has worked as a researcher in Academia at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, and then for more than 20 years in the Canadian biotechnology company Cangene Corporation. Starting a consulting company, Alba Biologics Group, in 2006, Don built on his expertise to branch out and become a founder and the CEO of PlantForm.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Don’t fear making changes, which was required to operate the Company in the COVID-19 pandemic.
What problem does your business solve?
Patients who are diagnosed with diseases, including Cancer, are often not given the best available medicine as the cost is too high for our Health Care Systems. By implementing a low-cost innovative manufacturing platform, we are able to manufacture affordable versions of these medicines and make them available to Canadians and patients across the world.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
The opportunity to improve the medical care of people in Canada and across the world inspired us to transfer our technology from academic research at the University of Guelph into a practical real word solution.
What is your magic sauce?
We have developed a cheap and effective plant-based drug production methodology that is green, uses no animal components, and does not create any toxic waste which could contaminate the environment.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
We will establish a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Canada that will support the development and production of our drugs and provide production capacity to address potential pandemics such as COVID-19. We will bring our first product to market, a best-in-class drug which protects military personnel, first responders, and civilians against exposure to the poison Ricin, a significant terrorist threat.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
Our biggest challenge has been raising Capital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How can people get involved?
We are looking for investors who recognize the potential of a Canadian solution to world problems and would like to join our journey. You can learn more at www.plantformcorp.com and then by emailing me at don.stewart@plantformcorp.com