#JohnnyAppleseedDay | How Biotech Is Keeping Apples Fresh and Cutting Down on Food Waste

Each year on September 26, just days after the start of autumn, we celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day. And while this day of recognition doesn't get you off work, it's a day to remember an American pioneer who helped bring, arguably, the most iconic fruit to North America: the apple.

Known for his planting of apple orchards from Pennsylvania to Illinois to modern-day Canada, Appleseed would be astonished to learn that today the U.S. grows 240 million bushels of apples on average each year. Annually, the wholesale value of the crop is close to $4 billion.

But outside of loving apples, Appleseed was a conservationist. Because of this, he would be equally astonished to learn that apples are among the most wasted foods across the globe – according to UK supermarket giant Tesco, around 40 percent of the fruit is thrown away.

Many consumers throw away fruits like apples, peaches and bananas, because they brown so easily. This is especially challenging for apples because the fruit is often enjoyed sliced, which significantly speeds up the browning process.

Through biotechnology, however, researchers have identified a way to modify the genes of the fruit so that it doesn't brown as quickly, thus extending self-life and reducing food waste.

Distributed to grocery stores in the fall of 2017, Arctic Apple's non-browning apple slices are the latest GM crop to hit the market. Currently, the company has three popular varieties of apples available, including the Arctic Granny, the Arctic Golden and the Arctic Fuji. Additionally, the company has recently released its Arctic ApBitz, which are sliced dried apples packaged as an easy to eat snack especially great for kids.

As companies and consumers look for ways to cut down on the nearly 150,000 tons of food that is wasted in U.S. households each day, biotechnology innovations such as non-browning apples should continue to be explored as a possible solution. Currently, the potato is another crop that has been modified to be non-browning, and more crops with non-browning or reduced bruising traits should be on the horizon.

As a conservationist and apple lover, I'm sure Johnny Appleseed would be a supporter of any innovation that reduces food waste and allows more Americans to consume the fruit which he was nicknamed after.

Harnessing the Power of Ag Microbials

Editor's Note: As part of BIO's 25^th Anniversary celebration we will be spotlighting biotechnology innovations that have made a major impact over the past 25 years. This "Innovation Series" will publish on the 25^th of every month throughout 2018. In the ninth installment we spotlight food and agriculture biotechnology. 

So, you want to grow a vegetable. Let's say you're looking to grow a jalapeño pepper. You go to your local nursery, buy a young pepper plant, take it home and plant it in the ground or in a pot. Then, you water it, place it in the sun and nature pretty much takes care of the rest.

While you patiently wait and brainstorm recipes for your bountiful pepper harvest, billions of microbes just beneath the soil are working to help provide your plant the nutrients it needs to grow. In one spoonful of soil, there are billions of microbes – tiny organisms like bacteria and fungi – that naturally exist. What if there was a way to boost microbes and improve plants to benefit both humans and the environment?

That's where "ag microbials" come in.

Through biotechnology innovation, products have been created that can be applied directly to a seed to enhance the natural microbes, improving outcomes for both nutrition and the environment.

Thanks to new understandings from gene sequencing, researchers can identify microbes with particular attributes, allowing farmers to control the microbes going into the soil.

Many of the attributes being explored benefit more than just the plant. Some microbials have the potential to suppress plants' negative responses to drought, essentially tricking them into continuing to grow through dry conditions. In an increasingly warmer world, water conversation is a growing priority, and ag microbials such as these will allow farmers to use less water, thus benefiting the environment.

Recognizing the potential and beneficial impact of ag microbials, biotechnology companies are now investing in research and development of this innovative technology. For example, Pivot BIO in California is developing ag microbials to help reduce the nitrogen runoff that can pollute lakes, rivers and oceans. Plants need nitrogen to grow and thrive, but nitrogen from fertilizers can runoff into waterways, leading to "dead zones" – large areas in the water that do not have enough oxygen to support marine life.

Pivot's microbials allow plants to absorb more nitrogen from the atmosphere. This allows farmers to apply less nitrogen-containing fertilizers and enhance the plant's natural ability to convert nitrogen from the air to meet crops' daily nitrogen needs.

Additionally, Monsanto (now a part of Bayer Crop Science) and Novozymes formed an alliance to develop microbial solutions to transform agriculture. The alliance is developing two microbial products: inoculants, which help plants with absorbing nutrients like nitrogen, and biocontrols, which help protect plants against pests and diseases. The latter will allow a plant to fight off pests and diseases on its own, reducing the need for pesticides and, again, reducing environmental impact.

Small companies like Ginkgo Bioworks are also looking to microbial science to help enhance agriculture. The startup is using biotechnology to engineer microbes to also reduce runoff from fertilizers into the environment. For this effort, Gingko Bioworks has formed a joint venture with Bayer to pair the company's know-how with Ginkgo Bioworks' manufacturing capabilities. In addition to producing ag microbials to fix nitrogen, the alliance looks to tackle soybean rust and citrus greening – a topic we covered previously here.

And while much of the conversation has focused on genetic engineering of plants to solve food and agriculture challenges like citrus greening, ag microbials hold tremendous promise as another solution.

By enhancing the microbes already at work beneath the soil, farmers can essentially optimize nature for greater benefits – benefits that transcend plant health, helping to also reduce environmental impact.

So next time you pick a pepper, remember most of the work came from the billions of microbes living just beneath the soil. Biotechnology allows us to harness the power of microbes to work to the advantage of plants, humans and the earth more than ever before.

UN Proposals to Weaken IP Will Not Benefit Patients

Next week the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will convene in New York City. Among the many high-level meetings taking place, the UN will be evaluating progress of sustainable development goal (UN SDG) #3, "Ensuring Access to Healthcare," with a specific focus on combatting tuberculosis (TB) globally and preventing early death from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

World leaders are expected to adopt high-level political declarations that will set priorities for tackling TB and NCDs. However several countries continue to demand the inclusion of language calling for weakened intellectual property (IP) protections as they view IP as the sole barrier to access to medicines treating TB and NCDs. BIO opposes these misguided efforts to weaken IP protections for TB and NCD medicines because they do nothing to improve patient access and while removing the economic incentives that healthcare innovation.

The price of TB drugs is not a significant barrier to treatment and access. Most tuberculosis medicines- both low-cost generics and new patented treatments- are currently sold at very low prices and/or deeply discounted. A six-month treatment of TB drugs through the Global Drug Facility is around USD $20 per patient. Newer patented medicines are also available at deeply discounted costs and through an array of globally broad access programs. Other factors, such as costs associated with hospitalization and poor health infrastructure, are actually contributing the most to the cost of TB and NCD treatment in most countries, not high medicine prices.

Ultimately, weakening global IP standards will not only fail to improve access, but also significantly discourage urgently needed private investment into TB and NCD research and development. By passing policies that encourage innovation, the UN will ensure a positive step towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

GMOs: Responding to the Issue of Food Waste and Loss

Food waste and food loss is a hot topic right now and rightly so.  The United Nations has set a target of halving food loss and waste by 2030. But a new consulting group has found that if current trends continue, food waste will continue to rise, both in terms of volume and in terms of money lost.

Of course, people have different ideas of what food waste is when you mention it to them. For some, it means, throwing away food on your plate after a meal. For parents of picky eaters, it's throwing away of food that doesn't look perfect or has gone brown. For others, it's grocery stores or restaurants throwing away food that they couldn't sell.  And for farmers, it can mean food lefts in fields that couldn't be picked, or won't be sold at market. Whatever your idea of food waste is, GMOs can help!

A new article from Reuters talks about the increasing cost of food waste. A recent article in the Boston Globe highlights what people are doing locally. A column in AgDaily details issue of food loss on farms.  All of these things have one thing in common: using all the tools we have to help combat this issue.

In a new blog post on our Medium page, GMO Answers expert and volunteer Janet Carpenter writes about how GMOs and other technologies can help in the fight against food waste. She writes,

GM crops have already increased yields and reduced the environmental impact of farming, where they have been deployed, especially in developing countries where hunger is more prevalent. However, there is much unrealized potential for available GMO technologies that could be beneficial in countries where they are not currently grown, as well as from technology that is still in development.

GMOs are just one way that we can all help to fight food waste. To learn more about how they can help, read the entire post. And check out GMO Answers to learn all about GMOS, and ask your own questions about GMOs.

It Starts with One

Every year around this time, we begin the process of putting together our educational program for the next year's BIO International Convention. Without fail, we receive hundreds of fascinating proposals that uncover important new trends in scientific research, healthcare delivery, intellectual property, environmental issues, sustainable farming, business development and digital health.

As we plan the 2019 BIO International Convention in Philadelphia, we work with our Program Committee to select the best of the best to educate, inspire and enlighten the global biotech community. We are proud of our well-deserved reputation for putting on the industry's finest showcase, and that's not going to change.

What is changing, however, is the lens through which we view the session proposals.

At our recent Convention in Boston, BIO affirmed our commitment to lead an industry-wide effort to promote inclusion and diversity in the biotechnology sector. This is not only the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do. It starts with one simple objective: to help promote a level playing field for advancement in life sciences, and this includes who we feature at our industry's largest Convention.

So with that goal in mind, I am proud to announce the theme for the 2019 BIO International Convention: It Starts with One.

Scientific progress begins with one idea, one theory, one trial, one success. The small initiatives of today-the incremental investments of time, energy, and dedication that each of us makes-can have a global impact on tomorrow. Our theme highlights the critical daily contributions that combine to bring new breakthroughs to the world. And yes, it can start with one front-office executive or hiring manager resolving to discover new talent or make an inspired promotion that brings vital new voices to the table.

For next year's Convention, BIO is looking for outstanding speakers whose backgrounds embody the full richness of our diverse ecosystem. We want to feature brilliant women and men who bring new ideas and perspectives to the forefront. Our Convention goal is to help elevate the next generation of biotech leaders. We're looking to uncover those diamonds in the rough who may not be in the C-suite but perhaps should be, because they see the world-and the challenges of innovation-differently than others as a result of their unique experiences.

So if that describes you, or an undiscovered superstar in middle management at your company, or a brilliant woman who spends nights and weekends in the lab trying to do what no one else ever has, please submit a session proposal or encourage them to do so. We're looking for people like you to lead the conversation at BIO 2019.

Inclusive and united, we will heal, fuel, and feed the world, and it starts with you.

Healthy, elderly adults should think twice before starting aspirin: Study

A new study suggests the risks for some older adults may outweigh the benefits.

The Role – and Value – of Public-Private Partnerships in Preparedness

Nearly twelve years ago, members of the biopharmaceutical supply chain, including BIO, came together in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and partnered with the American Red Cross to form a coalition. The coalition was founded to resolve the coordination challenges witnessed during the Katrina response. This coalition was founded under the name Rx Response and is now Healthcare Ready.

Healthcare Ready is a national nonprofit that leverages unique relationships with government, nonprofit and medical supply chains to deliver on its mission of enhancing the resiliency of communities before, during and after disasters.

The motivating reason for our creation, and our continued existence today, is a recognition of the importance of seamlessly integrating private sector organizations into all parts of healthcare preparedness and response. When over 90% of critical healthcare infrastructure – from manufacturing and distribution facilities to pharmacies, dialysis centers, and other points of care – is owned and operated by the private sector, this kind of integration is needed, yet it remains a significant challenge.[1]

The last eighteen months have underscored this notion, reminding us that weather events continue to pose real threats to public health and patients. From impacting the production of drugs and medical products to widespread damage of facilities causing patients to become disconnected from care, we continue to see natural disasters stress and fracture healthcare operations in countless ways. For example, during the Hurricane Harvey response, we coordinated with partners to make helicopter deliveries of medical supplies to Texas hospitals because flood waters created impassable roads. In Florida after Hurricane Irma, we worked to ensure patients dependent on oxygen tanks who couldn't leave shelters until they knew their next destination – whether it was home or another care facility – had a resupply of oxygen. Due to flooding and the impacts of high water on power and transportation, these resupplies were challenge. In Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, every facet of healthcare preparedness and emergency management was strained during the 2017 hurricane season. The challenges of responding to patient needs on an island manifested in myriad ways. For the first time, we worked with Federal partners to support a mass evacuation of dialysis patients by helping to secure wrapround services for over 200 evacuated dialysis patients and their caregivers.

In our role as healthcare emergency managers, we worked between the private and public sectors to help the helpers. Our team focused on connecting private sector resources to public (sector) needs throughout all three major storms. In each activation, we spent countless hours on the phone and on email connecting first responders and medical volunteers with donated services and supplies, including medicines, hygiene kits, over-the-counter supplies, and behavioral health services.  Supporting first responders and those on the ground during a disaster is an important aspect of what we do, which would be impossible without the support from partners like BIO.

While there have been trying times, important progress and innovation in the field has been made. Preparedness is a moving target, but in public health and healthcare preparedness, we must keep pace with this target. We can stay closer to the target through public-private partnerships and the integration of private sector goodwill and resources into preparedness plans and initiatives. Healthcare Ready is one example of this, as is our signature resource, Rx Open. Rx Open is a one-of-kind map that displays open pharmacies in areas across the US impacted by a disaster, made possible by a collaboration between pharmacies, the National Council of Prescription Drug Programs, and Healthcare Ready.

Partnerships across the public and private sectors were life-saving during the last hurricane season. We were proud to help forge and participate in several of these, such as collaborating with ride-sharing apps to provide rides for patients at no cost and amplifying awareness of expanded prescription assistance programs. We were eager and grateful to amplify others partnerships, such as expanded telemedicine offers and millions of dollars' worth of donations and in-kind support. Partnerships like these help enable us to act as an "invisible hand" to minimize gaps in response and recovery operations and avoid potential disruptions in care of those affected.

We are proud and grateful to count BIO as one of our longest-standing partners and supporters. Through their support and that of other private sector partners, Healthcare Ready has been able to act on our mission of building and enhancing resiliency before, during, and after disasters by creating partnerships with government, nonprofit, and medical supply chains. During blue skies and during emergencies, our partners play a critical role in ensuring we can continue to meet the needs of those impacted, even long after the storm hits.

We rely on relationships to be able to coordinate effectively during events. Between disasters, we spend our time improving based on lessons learned, and establishing new partnerships. All of this work is sustained by continued contributions from donors, partners, and members. This support is critical to ensure that our operations are in place and strong before the next disaster. There are many ways to partner with us: learn more about becoming a member, sign up for our notifications and situation reports during events, or contact us at ContactUs@HealthcareReady.org. If we can be helpful during an event, email us at alerts@HealthcareReady.org or call 866-247-2694.

 

[1] Progress Coordinating Government and Private Sector Efforts Varies by Sectors' Characteristics, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-07-39

 

 

Dr. Nicolette A. Louissaint is the Executive Director of Healthcare Ready. Prior to this position, Nicolette served as the organization's Director of Programming. Before joining Healthcare Ready Nicolette served as a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. During the height of the Ebola Epidemic of 2014, Nicolette served as the Senior Advisor to the State Department's Special Coordinator for Ebola.

Medical Research from Mars Can Fail Patients from Venus

Historically, federal dollars inadvertently flowed to medical research with a disproportionate focus on men's health. There are several reasons for this. Decades ago, many scientists concluded men were easier to study because they weren't subject to frequent hormonal changes that could complicate a study's design or the interpretation of its results. Also, safety concerns for pregnant women once resulted in broad exclusions of women with "child-bearing potential" from many clinical studies.

The last quarter-century has brought a greater focus on the opportunity cost of uneven representation in clinical studies. When it comes to gender, in particular, we now know unequivocally that a person's sex can influence disease presentation, diagnosis, severity and treatment.

For example, certain chemotherapy drugs have more side effects on women than men. Women may need lower dosages of certain medications due to differences in body weight compared to men. Research suggests that women may be 20 to 70 percent more likely to develop lung cancer than men who smoke the same number of cigarettes. Meanwhile, colon cancers are frequently misdiagnosed because the disease can present differently in women than men.

In 1993, Congress passed the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Revitalization Act – a federal rethinking of the participation levels of women and minorities in clinical research. The legislation was a much-needed breakthrough, but not a cure.

Today, the NIH review process treats inclusion of women and minority subjects as an indicator of a proposal's scientific merit, and NIH staff tracks these metrics for consideration in making grant awards. Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made significant strides in diversifying clinical trials conducted in the United States. The FDA launched an Office of Women's Health Research focused on advancing the science of women's health as well as an Office of Minority Health charged with increasing clinical trial data available on racial and ethnic minorities.

These federal efforts have helped the biopharmaceutical industry achieve substantial progress in diversifying trials, yet gaps persist. An FDA study published in July 2017 found that women represent 43 percent of trial subjects globally (and 49 percent in the United States) despite the fact that women make up more than half of the population. A cardiology study published this April, for example, found women to be under-represented in clinical trials for new medicines to treat artery disease, acute coronary syndrome and heart failure.

One way we can close the gender gap in clinical research is by promoting greater collaboration between drug developers and researchers who specialize in women's health. Last month, I sat down with Nicole Oshurak, director of corporate partnerships at the Magee-Women's Research Institute and Foundation (MWRI) – a Pittsburgh-based organization whose mission is to "change the world's thinking on women's health."

With $40 million in NIH grants last year, MWRI is the country's largest research institute devoted exclusively to women's health research. Its researchers are making discoveries in reproductive biology, breast cancer genomics, fertility, and HIV immunization and prevention.

MWRI investigators conduct research studies with major institutions, universities and medical centers around the world. Now, the group is exploring industry partnerships beyond NIH funding with the hope of getting breakthroughs to more patients. This June in Boston, the institute participated in its first BIO International Convention, and Oshurak told me she was flooded with requests for business meetings by potential industry partners.

The growing appetite of drug developers to partner with women's health researchers is a real trend – and, I believe, a harbinger of further strides to come. Companies interested in exploring women's health collaborations should consider attending the Magee-Women's Research Summit Oct. 9-10 in Pittsburgh, where MWRI will award the $1 million Magee Prize – the world's largest for a scientific collaboration to advance women's health.

One of MWRI's most enduring contributions to medical research is its maintenance of the world's largest maternal infant database containing information from more than 200,000 births spanning two decades. That project is part of its 9-90 research, which focuses on how human life in the womb for the first nine months can predict and change the course of a person's health over the next 90 years.

Women may be 51 percent of the world's population, but they carry to term 100 percent of our collective future. Patients of every age, gender and background stand to benefit significantly from medical research better calibrated to reflect this reality.

Greenwood, who represented Pennsylvania's 8^th district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2005, is CEO of BIO, the world's largest trade association representing the biotechnology industry.