Harnessing plant expression platform for the development of recombinant vaccines

Plant molecular farming has emerged as a promising alternative platform for the production of high-value pharmaceuticals, including vaccines, antibodies and therapeutic proteins. Various vaccine antigens, including viral, bacterial, and parasitic targets, have been successfully produced in plants, demonstrating the versatility and scalability of the system. Despite three decades of research, very few plant-based biopharmaceutical products reached the market and few vaccine candidates have reached the clinical trials in the recent decade. While the journey of plant-produced vaccines from bench to market has been accompanied by challenges, recent years have seen significant progress in overcoming certain technical, regulatory and commercial hurdles. In the coming years, we are poised to witness the commercial potential of plants in the fight against infectious diseases. This commentary highlights the transformative impact of plant molecular farming on vaccine development.