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Lettuce has already been used to express a wide range of
therapeutic targets at clinically relevant levels, including:

• Enzyme replacement therapies for rare metabolic
diseases (e.g. glucocerebrosidase for Gaucher’s)
• Oral vaccines for infectious diseases (e.g. cholera,
hepatitis B)
• Autoantigens for tolerizing therapies in
autoimmunity (e.g. proinsulin, myelin basic protein)
• Antibodies and binding domains for enteric
infections and inflammation

Several of these candidates have moved into clinical trials,
demonstrating not only preclinical efficacy but also human
safety and tolerability. This positions lettuce not just as an
experimental vehicle, but as a validated therapeutic
platform.

5. Operational Benefits: Fast, Clean, and Scalable

Lettuce grows fast—6 to 8 weeks from seed to harvest in
hydroponic or greenhouse systems. It requires minimal
inputs, has a short life cycle, and can be produced in
stacked vertical farms, shipping container labs, or
regional grow hubs. The biomass is leafy, easy to process,
and suitable for lyophilization and encapsulation.

This makes lettuce especially attractive for:

• Rapid-response production (e.g., outbreak
vaccines, compassionate-use batches)
• On-demand manufacturing near the point of
care

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