Articles for category Applied research

Our team established the world’s largest collection of Sphagnum moss species for peat industry and science. Since peat harvesting and climate change are threatening peatlands, their huge diversity of peat moss species are more and more unable to store the about 30% of the earth’s soil carbon that they currently bind. In doing so, they roughly store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined. Since there is not enough founder material available for sustainably cultivating peat mosses on a large scale, Melanie Heck from the team around plant biotechnologist Professor Ralf Reski from Freiburg University, Germany, established axenic in‐vitro cultures from sporophytes of 19 Sphagnum species. This work is part of our BMEL-funded MOOSzucht project in a collaboration with researchers from the University of Greifswald. These cultivated species cover five of the six European Sphagnum subgenera. This high‐quality founder material for diverse large‐scale applications is available via the International Moss Stock Center (IMSC). The work was published recently in New Phytologist.

Source: Freiburg University

Ralf Reski is invited keynote speaker at the OpenPlant Forum 2018 in Norwich, UK, which focusses on Engineering Plants for Bioproduction. On 25 July 2018 Reski's talk Plant-based bioproduction platforms will provide latest research results about several moss-made pharmaceuticals like Alpha Galactosidase A (moss-aGal), MFHR1 Fusion Protein, Human complement Factor H, moss-FH, or Asialo-erythropoietin (asialo-EPO, AEPO).

Details: conference website

Ralf Reski is invited speaker in the 2^nd Colloquium Applied Biology at Karlsruhe’s Institute of Technology (KIT), the Research University in the Helmholtz Association in Germany. In his talk "Moss-made pharmaceuticals: From bench to bedside" he will provide latest research results about biopharmaceuticals to treat human diseases on 28^th June 2018. Among the moss-made drugs are

• Alpha Galactosidase A (moss-aGal)
• MFHR1 Fusion Protein
• Human complement Factor H, moss-FH
• Asialo-erythropoietin (asialo-EPO, AEPO)

The flyer provides programme details and a link where students and researchers are able to register.

Details in the flyer (pdf file)

ReskiLab cooperated in the development of a new cosmetic ingredient based on biotechnologically produced moss cells for a novel anti-aging and moisturizing concept with the Swiss company Mibelle Biochemistry. A new product for skin care will be introduced on 16^th April 2018, right before the „in-Cosemtics global“ trade fair that will take place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The new MossCellTec™ Technology was used to develop the active ingredient for MossCellTec™ No. 1. According to in vitro studies, this active ingredient improves cell nucleus health by helping to transport molecules in and out of the cell nucleus, which is important in helping skin adapting to climactic changes. The ingredient in MossCellTec™ No. 1 is on the fair’s Award Shortlist for Best Active Ingredients. Professor Ralf Reski will be in Amsterdam on 16^th of April to give a talk about moss biotechnology.

Details: conference website

The new EU project MossTech will promote the environmentally friendly production of complex molecules for medicine and industry. In this project, coordinated by Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen, Prof. Dr. Ralf Reski from the University of Freiburg, Germany, will be further developing a variety of mosses as sustainable and fast-growing molecule factories. As an EU-designated Innovative Training Network (ITN), the project will receive €1.6 million from the EU over the next four years as part of its Horizon 2020 program. Two out of the six PhD students involved in the MossTech project will spend a year at the University of Freiburg learning these methods and will continue for another two years with industrial partners in Denmark or Italy, respectively. The goal is to apply these methods to mosses that have not yet been researched in the hopes of cheaply and safely producing complex fine chemicals in genetically modified mosses.

media release at the University of Freiburg

Greenovation Biotech GmbH announced the completion of its Phase 1 moss-aGal study to combat Fabry disease (FD). The Phase I study was designed as a single dose administered in six patients suffering from FD, a rare metabolic disease belonging to the group of inherited lysosomal storage diseases. Patients were monitored over 28 days. Primary endpoints were safety and pharmacokinetics. The single dose of moss-aGal was well tolerated by patients. Moss-aGal is the first clinical product produced in Greenovation`s moss-based technology and therefore the first ever moss-made drug candidate tested in humans. The privately owned company Greenovation was founded by Prof. Dr. Ralf Reski and Prof. Dr. Gunter Neuhaus in 1999. Moss-aGal is a recombinant form of human alpha-galactosidase produced in moss to treat Fabry patients with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT).

whole media release at Greenovation

We are inviting applications for two PhD student positions to work partly in our lab as well as in either Italy or Denmark in the new MossTech EU project, which will expand the tools for green biotechnology by using the simplest land plants, the mosses. MossTech will develop new green cell factories for the production of proteins, lipids and fine chemicals.

PhD position: Biotechnology and Plant Molecular Biology

PhD position: Biotechnology and Bioinformatics

Welcome until 6^th December 2017

Greenovation Biotech GmbH announced opening of an additional clinical study center in Hungary for its phase I clinical trial to test moss-aGal last week. Moss-aGal is a recombinant form of human alpha-galactosidase produced in moss to treat Fabry patients with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Founded by Prof. Dr. Ralf Reski and Prof. Dr. Gunter Neuhaus, the company Greenovation also reports that the first three patients have already been treated with moss-aGal at the University Medical Center in Mainz, Germany. They received a single dose of moss-aGal and no side effects have been reported. With the new Hungarian center, the clinical study with six patients is expected to be completed within this year. In phase I safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy of moss-aGal are evaluated. Morbus Fabry is a metabolic disease belonging to the group of inherited lysosomal storage diseases. Patients with this rare disease often do not have access to treatment.

whole media release at Greenovation

Peat moss shall be developed as a sustainable and renewable alternative as part of the "MOOSzucht" (moss cultivation) project to invent a renewable resource for peat extraction and to protect climate in the long run. Professor Dr. Ralf Reski and Dr. Eva Decker from the University of Freiburg, Germany, participate in the project under the leadership of scientists from Greifswald to contribute their knowledge of the genetic composition of Physcomitrella and Sphagnum mosses. Smart breeding allows obtaining fast-growing peat mosses in suitable amounts for paludicultures. Project partners are also the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and a company from Lower Saxony. The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) is funding the project with approx. 1.1 million Euros for the next 3 years.

media release at the University of Freiburg

Greenovation Biotech GmbH announced that it has dosed the first patient in a phase 1b study of its biopharmaceutical, moss-aGal, in adults with the inherited disorder, Fabry disease. Moss-aGal is a recombinant form of human alpha-galactosidase. It has been developed by Greenovation as an enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for patients with Fabry disease, a genetic lysosomal storage disorder.  The privately owned company Greenovation was founded by Prof. Dr. Gunter Neuhaus and Prof. Dr. Ralf Reski and develops next-generation therapeutics using its proprietary BryoTechnology platform. The company aims to optimize the production of highly-efficient glycoproteins for proprietary and customer use.

whole media release at Greenovation

In the second edition of the textbook "Biotechnology for Beginners" that will be published by Elsevier in February 2017 the authors Reinhard Renneberg, Viola Berkling and Vanya Loroch cover Ralf Reski's view as expert under the headline "Mosses Work Miracles". On these pages, Reski summarizes why plants are on the rise as alternative expression hosts for the production of recombinant biopharmaceuticals. The Chair of Plant Biotechnology from University of Freiburg also explains why he focusses on the moss Physcomitrella patens, which he has developed to be a flagship model for basic and applied research. He describes its advantages as well as its suitability for the production of several biopharmaceuticals.

Mosses Work Miracles

New data provides validation for Greenovation’s moss-based expression system as a GMP-compliant biopharmaceutical production system - successful collaboration with BioGenes.

• Novel Physcomitrella patens-specific host-cell protein assay developed for GMP-compliant production in moss.
• New data published in BioProcess International, February 2016

Read whole media release (pdf file)

Prof. Dr. Ralf Reski, professor for biology and former FRIAS-USIAS Fellow, together with 30 experts at five universities and five medium-sized companies from Spain, Italy, France, Ireland and Germany, set out to develop a form of “biomonitoring” that is independent of electricity and mobile with the help of peat moss. Within only three years, the consortium MOSSclone, which is funded by the EU’s “Eco-Innovation!” programme, has been able to cultivate a type of moss that allows for the measurement of not only nitrogen and sulfur oxides or heavy metal concentrations, but also polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, most of which are carcinogenic.

see: Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg

Continuous monitoring of environmental air quality has been mandatory in the EU since 1996. However, state-of-the-art technical measurement systems are expensive and lack mobility. A European consortium led by biologist Prof. Dr. Ralf Reski has developed a new system that uses peat moss in so-called ”MOSSpheres” for monitoring air pollution. The project MOSSclone started in April 2012 and funding ended in March 2015.

read all at Bioeconomy BW website

Forschenden gelang es, in einer Moos-zell-Linie von Physcomitrella patens ein für Menschen verträgliches Enzym herstellen zu lassen, das zur Enzym-Ersatztherapie in der Fabry-Krankheit eingesetzt werden kann. Das Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (BfArM) hat nun eine klinische Phase I Studie genehmigt, in der Verträglichkeit und Sicherheit des Wirkstoffes des ersten in Moos produzierte Medikament an freiwilligen, gesunden Personen getestet wird.

Details im Newsletter InterNutrition POINT - Aktuelles zur grünen Biotechnologie (pdf)

The world’s first moss-produced drug candidate has the go-ahead to enter clinical trials

read whole story in the Journal Nature Biotechnology

Greenovation is allowed to start clinical trial for moss-aGal

read whole story at Labiotech.eu

Greenovation to start Phase I clinical trial for moss-aGal, a recombinant form of human alpha galactosidase.

read whole story in European Pharmaceutical Review

Greenovation Receives BfArM Approval To Start Phase I Clinical Trial For Moss-aGal, The World´S First Moss-Produced Drug Candidate

read whole story in the Clinical Leader

Fabry Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT) Based On Mannose-Mediated Cellular Uptake Shows Encouraging Preclinical Results That Allow Start Of Early Clinical Trials

read whole report in the Clinical Leader

Factor H, a key component of the immune system that is missing in patients suffering from atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), was effectively produced in the moss Physcomitrella patens. In collaboration with the University of Freiburg, Greenovation now aims to humanize the protein to suit it for clinical use.

read whole article on the LABIOTECH.eu website

Human disease can be treated with substances from traditional medicinal plants or with molecular pharming products. Molecular pharming uses genetic engineering techniques to insert genes into plants or animals that would otherwise not express these genes. These transgenics can then be used to produce therapeutic proteins such as antibodies. Dr. Eva Decker from the University of Freiburg and her team have now successfully produced a key protein of the human immune system in the moss Physcomitrella patens. Recombinant factor H might be used at some stage in the future for the therapy of atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome, a rare, life-threatening disease that affects kidney function.

read whole article at Healthcare Indurstry BW

University of Freiburg to cooperate with a biopharmaceutical company on therapy for kidney diseases

read more at University of Freiburg

Ralf Reski invited speaker at Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI)

An international research team takes stock on their way to monitoring air quality in Europe. The team meets at the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS).

read whole text at University of Freiburg website

University of Freiburg and greenovation Biotech to cooperate on improved product yields.

read whole text at the University of Freiburg website

Joint research groups of Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) and University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS).

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greenovation Biotech GmbH and Biomeva GmbH sign development, manufacturing and supply agreement for GMP production of a protein with a novel expression platform.

read whole text at Biomeva (pdf file)

Engineered Moss produces human hormone without doping activity.  Scientists from the Chair of Plant Biotechnology of the University of Freiburg, Germany, around Dr. Eva Decker and Professor Ralf Reski and from the Freiburg-based biotech company greenovation have genetically engineered the moss Physcomitrella patens in such a way that it now produces recombinant human asialo-EPO in the moss bioreactor and published their results in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.

read whole text at the University of Freiburg website

EU-Project develops peat moss as novel biological indicator with the help of the ReskiLab.

read whole text at the University of Freiburg website

Contract between Freiburg Biobank of Plant Biotechnology (International Moss Stock Center, IMSC) and Greenovation Biotech GmbH.

read whole text at the University of Freiburg website

The IMSC offers research institutions, industrial enterprises and other facilities the possibility to store back-up moss samples in its cryobank. For researchers, it provides accession numbers of their newly established mutants or newly collected ecotypes to be included into their publications.

The IMSC is developed, hosted and managed by the ReskiLab and collects, preserves and distributes moss mutants, transgenic lines and ecotypes.

Mosses and humans share unexpected common characteristics researchers from ETH Zurich and University of Freiburg have shown in the Plant Biotechnology Journal. These evolutionary relics could be useful in the production of therapeutic proteins.

read whole text of the ETH Zürich

The GABI-PRECISE consortium announces cooperation for the development of precision engineering of genes, in which the ReskiLab is one of the collaborators.

read whole text at Phytowelt