Page 198 - Binder2
P. 198
What’s emerging isn’t just a different route of
administration.
It’s a new class of biologic architecture—designed not
only for target affinity or potency, but for immune
persistence, regulatory clarity, and global scalability.
Designing for Immune Silence at the Molecular Level
Traditional biologics are often optimized for
pharmacodynamics—how strongly and specifically they
bind their target. But rarely are they optimized for how the
immune system will interpret them.
Plant-based systems open the door to designing proteins
that are not just active, but biocompatible—not just strong,
but sustainable in the body.
Scientists are now customizing expression cassettes for
features like:
• Glycosylation patterns that minimize immune
recognition
Unlike microbial systems, plants can glycosylate
proteins—a critical factor for proper folding,
function, and immune tolerance. By tweaking sugar
residues to avoid non-human epitopes (like alpha-
Gal or Neu5Gc), developers can reduce the risk of
immune rejection and ADA formation.
• Antigen display that promotes tolerogenic
responses
Rather than simply exposing a therapeutic protein to
the immune system, edible biologics allow for
controlled antigen exposure—low-dose, mucosal,
196