Lactoferrin and lysozymes are two proteins naturally present in breastmilk. Earlier this month, Ventria Bioscience released results from a clinical study showing that recombinant versions of these proteins (Lactiva and Lysomin, respectively) helped reduce the duration and recurrence of acute diarrhea in children (pdf file of the press reelease available here). Results of the clinical study conducted in Peru were presented at the Pediatric Academics Societies meeting in San Francisco, and showed that children hospitalized in Peru with serious diarrhea attacks recovered quicker (3.67 days versus 5.21 days) if the dehydration solution they were fed contained the powder containing these proteins. The firm has applied to the FDA to approve the powder as a "medical food".

However, Ventria is facing a lot of opposition from environmentalists and farmers alike. The bone of contention is that these proteins are manufactured in rice plants, using a technology called "biopharming": inserting human genes into plants which then produce the proteins of therapeutic value. Issues of cross-pollination and contamination are raised, and farmers are especially protective of their crops, raising concerns that GMO-averse international markets might be turned off. And this is a serious concern, indeed, considering that rice exports correspond to about 50 percent of its annual sales-- that's more than half a billion dollars annually.

Ventria is nevertheless continuing, even expanding, its operation.

In March it received U.S. Department of Agriculture clearance to expand its operation there from 70 acres to 335 acres. Ventria is hoping to get regulatory clearance this year to market its diarrhea-fighting protein powder.

The firm also plans to add its product into other existing infant products, such as infant formula.

Biopharming, or molecular farming, is a novel technology, and other companies have already been successful in producing vaccines and other pharmaceuticals in plants (see previous entries on plague, anthrax and equine west nile vaccine production in tobacco). It is considered to be an efficient and effective method of developing and producing plant-made pharmaceuticals. Perhaps Ventria could have easily circumvented these oppositions (or at least some of them) by using a non-food crop plant as a factory.

Read the report from ABC News: Biotech Firm Raises Furor With Rice Plan.