Blue Frog Scientific will exhibit at Biopesticides Europe 2024 (5-6th June 2024, Barcelona), attended by Tom Hargreaves, Damien Carson, and Stephen Kent.
Tom Hargreaves will also present on Day 1 (5th June) at 4pm (CEST) on Naturally Occurring Active Peptides in Botanical Extracts, Scientific and Regulatory Challenges; A Case Study with Clitoria ternatea.
Summary:
Plant peptides have many functions in-planta including defence. Plant defence peptides are structurally diverse, with activity against viruses, fungi, bacteria and insect pests. One particular group of peptides, cyclotides, have been the subsect of increasing research over the last two decades with potential applications in drug delivery and biocontrol. This presentation discusses how the remarkable cyclotides present in the Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) have been harnessed in the exceptional eco-friendly, pollinator safe, biocontrol agent Sero-X; efficacious against phytophagous insects previously only controlled by traditional chemical pesticides. The botanical active substance and product are already approved in Australia, however gaining approval in the EU is difficult as unlike microbial biopesticides, botanicals are regulated under Part A of Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009. Part A of the regulation was conceived to assess chemical pesticides, which need to be adapted by the Applicant for a botanical active substance.
The presentation delves into the fascinating science of cyclotides while providing a narrative on the obstacles to overcome to gain approval in the EU.
