The present invention provides plant produced anti-EGFR antibodies that have defined glycosylation patterns. Also provided are plant expression vectors encoding said antibodies, transformed plants that express said antibodies, and methods of using said antibodies to treat cancer.

A new platform method to purify plant-based monoclonal antibodies is provided. Such a method includes an antibody purification platform that involves a standardized procedure for the production of a wide array of different antibodies within a simplified context. The versatility of the overall purification process accords a one-size-fits-all approach for myriad antibody products and includes plant tissue harvesting, extraction and clarification, filtrate generation, a succession of column chromatography procedures, and buffer exposure to provide the desired monoclonal antibodies in proper filtered and purified form for further incorporation and/or use within medicaments and other formulations. Thus, the purified monoclonal antibodies produced thereby such a method are also encompassed within this invention.

The presently-disclosed subject matter relates to antibodies, compositions, and methods for inhibiting and treating virus infection in the respiratory tract and virus transmission through the respiratory tract. In particular, the presently-disclosed subject matter relates to inhibiting and treating virus infection in a subject using compositions and antibodies that trap viruses in mucus of the respiratory tract, thereby inhibiting transport of virus across or through mucus secretions.

The present invention provides antibodies that neutralize MERS-CoV and methods of use thereof. The invented antibody is used to treat MERS-CoV infections and symptoms thereof.

A single vector or multiple separate vectors that contain two or more non-competing replicons for transient expression of the heavy and light chains of Rituximab in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves is described. The correct assembly of these subunit proteins into functional oligomeric structures to optimize the expression is also described. This system advances plant transient expression technology by eliminating the need for non-competing viruses, and thus, enhances the realistic commercial application of the multi-replicon single vector system for producing Rituximab in plant cells.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for eliciting immune responses against HCV antigens. In particular embodiments, the compounds and methods elicit immune responses against all or a segment of HCV glycoprotein E1 and/or HCV glycoprotein E2.

Monoclonal antibodies produced in plants at high levels wherein elimination of L chain glycans improves plasma stability of certain plant derived bnAbs are provided. Monoclonal antibodies produced in plants which exhibit no or reduced immunogenicity after multiple injections are provided. Methods of production of the foregoing are provided. Methods of determining immunogenicity assessing the immunogenicity and neutralizing ability of the same are provided. Methods of treating HIV using monoclonal antibodies produced in plants are also provided.

Methods for producing antibodies are provided and include transforming a plant cell with a nucleic acid encoding a heavy chain of an antibody, a light chain of an antibody, and a linking polypeptide connecting the heavy chain to the light chain. The nucleic acid is then expressed in the plant cell, such that, upon expression the linking polypeptide is cleaved to separate the heavy chain from the light chain. Isolated nucleic acid sequences, expression vectors, and transformed plant cells useful for producing the antibodies are also provided. Further provided are methods for treating a viral infection and include the steps of obtaining an antibody produced by the above-described methods and then administering the antibody to a subject.

This disclosure relates to a transgenic plant or plant tissue. In particular, this disclosure relates to a transgenic plant or plant tissue or plant cell comprising at least one polynucleotide comprising at least one sequence encoding a variable domain of a heavy-chain antibody (VHH) specifically binding to a sphingolipid of a fungus. Advantageously, the expression of the polynucleotide in at least part of the transgenic plant or plant tissue or plant cell (i) protects at least part of the transgenic plant or plant tissue or plant cell from an infection with a plant pathogenic fungus, (ii) inhibits the growth of a plant pathogenic fungus on at least part of the transgenic plant or plant tissue or plant cell, or (iii) increases the resistance of at least part of the transgenic plant or plant tissue or plant cell against a plant pathogenic fungus. This disclosure also relates to a method for protecting at least part of a plant or plant tissue or plant cell from an infection with a plant pathogen, for inhibiting the growth of a plant pathogen on at least part of a plant or plant tissue or plant cell, or for increasing pathogen resistance of at least part of a plant or plant tissue or plant cell, comprising expressing in at least part of the plant or plant tissue or plant cell at least one polynucleotide encoding a VHH specifically binding to a pathogen.

Synthetic promoter artificial DNA for the stable expression of heterologous proteins in plants, the sequence of which is optimized for the overexpression of the target protein in the internal endosperm.