SwiftPharma

We are excited to pioneer a novel dual-Action checkpoint inhibitor produced in #plants for the treatment of #osteosarcoma 😍🌱 At SwiftPharma, we’re always looking to push the boundaries of #biotherapeutics, and our latest breakthrough has us buzzing with excitement. Our scientific team, is developing a game-changing #VHH checkpoint inhibitor with a dual mode of action targeting both PD-L1 and MDM2/4. 😮👩🏼🔬 This innovative molecule, produced using our proprietary #HyperXpress technology in Nicotiana benthamiana #plant #bioreactors, represents a bold step forward in immuno-oncology. 💪👀🌱 Our first target? #osteosarcoma, a devastating #cancer with limited treatment options. By simultaneously inhibiting PD-L1 to unleash the immune system and modulating MDM2/4 to restore p53 tumor suppressor activity, this therapy may deliver a one-two punch against tumors. 🥊🥊 We believe this approach could one day redefine how we tackle cancers resistant to conventional checkpoint inhibitors. Why does this matter? #osteosarcoma is one of the hardest cancers to treat, and patients deserve more options. Our #plantbased #VHH #technology offers the precision of #nanobodies with the added benefit of being incredibly cost-effective to produce in #plants, enabling broader access to life-saving treatments. 🤗🌱🙌 We’re thrilled to announce that preclinical studies kick off in early Q2 of 2025, marking a pivotal step in bringing this therapy closer to the patients who need it most. 📈💊 And credit where it’s due: our scientific dream team—who lovingly call themselves “The VHHive” 😁—have been working tirelessly, blending cutting-edge research with plenty of bad plant puns to keep morale high. Jeroen Hofenk, Virgil Schijns, Anupama Anupama, Abrar Senhaji, Dimi Boeckaerts, Cindy Callens, PhD Stay tuned as SwiftPharma continues to pave the way for the next generation of #biotherapeutics, proving that innovation grows best when it’s rooted in plants! 🌱 #biotherapeutics #cancertherapy #biomanufacturing #immunology #plantbased #sustainable #teamwork #cancertreatment #oncology

"🎉 WOOF-tastic news! 🐶 A huge round of applause to our partners at Benno Therapeutics for winning the Biofit Award for Most Innovative Animal Health Project! 👏 This recognition highlights their groundbreaking work in advancing treatments for bladder cancer and other solid tumors in our canine companions. 🥹🐕✨ At SwiftPharma, we’re proud to collaborate with Benno Therapeutics on this exciting project, harnessing the power of #plants as #bioreactors to develop novel therapies that could transform #veterinary #oncology. 🌱💊 Why does this partnership matter? Together, we’re tackling one of the biggest unmet needs in #animal #health with innovative, #sustainable solutions that redefine what’s possible for pet care. 🌍💚 Congratulations to the entire team at Benno Therapeutics —you’re not just innovators; you’re life-changers (and tail-waggers) too! 🐾💪 #animalhealth #plantmade #oncology #sustainable #doggies #biomanufacturing #teaworkmakesthedreamwork

At SwiftPharma , it’s not all about science and breakthroughs—we also believe in giving back. Our founder and CSO, Jeroen Hofenk, attended a wonderful gala dinner hosted by Henk van Cauwenbergh to celebrate the launch of Images, a book showcasing his illustrious career as a top photographer. This inspiring charity event, graced by the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Delphine van Saksen-Coburg, was held to support the impactful work of Dr. Laurence Combes in Uganda. We’re deeply grateful to our guests, Philippe Van den Broecke (Agio Legal), Passion Winter (Agio Legal), and Michel BAIJOT, for joining us on this meaningful evening. Together, we were reminded that our mission extends beyond innovation—to making a difference wherever we can.

🚀 Exciting news! PHARMECO Project officially launched! 🌿💊 🤩 We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the groundbreaking €41 million flagship PHARMECO project, supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking and coordinated by Universiteit Gent (CESPE) and industry project lead Sanofi! 🔛 This ambitious initiative will drive a green revolution in the manufacture of medicines by implementing greener technologies and processes, embedding sustainability steering at every stage of production, and standardizing sustainability assessment approaches across the sector. Key goals include: 🌍 Integrating Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) practices. 💡 Scaling green technologies for industrial applications. 🔍 Leveraging digital tools to enhance sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry. 💫 The consortium brings together 31 esteemed international partners, including SwiftPharma, which will play a vital role in developing innovative, plant-based solutions that align with PHARMECO’s sustainability vision. As a pioneer in plant molecular farming SwiftPharma will contribute to advancing greener and more cost-effective production methods. Partners: AbbVie, AIMPLAS · Technological Institute of Plastics, AstraZeneca, Benkei, BIOTOOLOMICS LIMITED, Boehringer Ingelheim, CPI, CULTZYME , Universiteit Gent (CESPE), GSK, Johnson & Johnson, LifeClean International AB, Loughborough University, Medtronic, Merck Group, Microinnova Engineering GmbH, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Radboud University, RCPE - Research Center Pharmaceutical Engineering GmbH, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu, Sanofi, Servier, SFE Process, SwiftPharma, Technische Universität Berlin, UCB, Universität Graz, VTU Group. 🤩 This project marks a major leap toward a more sustainable future for pharmaceuticals, with SwiftPharma along with its partners at the forefront of innovation. 📣 Stay tuned for updates as we work towards greener healthcare! #PHARMECO #SustainablePharma #GreenManufacturing #PharmaceuticalInnovation #IHI (Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) 🔔 Contact information: Coordinator (Ghent University (CESPE)): Sarah Costers Industry project lead (Sanofi): Christian Schoenau This project is supported by the Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (Innovative Health Initiative (IHI)) and its members under grant agreement No 101165889.

Meet Cindy Callens, PhD: the only person who can juggle spreadsheets, deadlines, and a cup of coffee without spilling a drop—SwiftPharma's newest multitasking marvel! 💁♀️ With a PhD in crop genetics from the University of Nottingham and the University of Adelaide and five years of experience in Business Development, Cindy brings a wealth of expertise to SwiftPharma as its new Project Manager. After completing her doctorate, Cindy returned to Belgium, where she spent five years at Biobest (now BioFirst), first as Global Product Manager Biopesticides and later as Global Portfolio Manager Biofungicides. In these roles, she expertly managed both commercial and pipeline projects for disease control in greenhouse crops, ensuring innovative solutions reached the market while addressing the pressing challenges of sustainable agriculture. 💪 🌱 Throughout her career, Cindy has demonstrated a knack for bridging scientific research with practical applications, consistently delivering results that balance innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. Her leadership experience in global product management, coupled with her background in crop genetics, positions her uniquely to oversee SwiftPharma’s diverse and ambitious projects. 🤓 Beyond the lab and field, Cindy holds a deep appreciation for the natural world. Among her favourite memories is the vibrant springtime bloom of the jacaranda tree in Australia. With its cascading purple flowers and ability to thrive in challenging environments, the jacaranda serves as a poignant metaphor for Cindy's approach to project management: combining resilience, adaptability, and a focus on growth. 🌸 🦹♀️ Now, at SwiftPharma, she is poised to channel these qualities into her work, ensuring that each project flourishes while contributing to the company’s mission of revolutionizing plant molecular farming. Welcome aboard Cindy! 🚀 🌱 #newteammember #welcome #newbeginnings #projectmanagement

Santa comes early 😬🎅 Our custom-built JIUPO Biotech plant growth chambers have finally arrived! 😎🌱 These state-of-the-art climate chambers are designed to provide the consistent and reliable conditions critical for our research and production processes. 👨🔬🌱👩🔬 From precise temperature controls to CO2 delivery, to nutrient supplementation, to perfectly titrated water supply and optimized lighting, every detail has been fine-tuned to ensure our plants thrive and deliver the high-quality results we depend on. A major step forward in supporting our mission to revolutionize biomanufacturing through innovation in plant-based systems. 🌱💪 Big thank you to Patrick Schotanus and his team at Van Pel Instrumenten for their top-notch service, and Katrien Achten and her team BioVille for their continuous support and help in solving problems 🫶 #InnovationInBiotech #plantmade #sustainable #PlantMolecularFarming #CDMO #biomanufacturing

Making Western Blots Work Smarter 😏😎 At SwiftPharma, innovation is at the heart of everything we do. Our latest step toward automation in protein biology workflows is the adoption of the #Bandmate #automated #Western #Blot #Processor from Thermo Fisher Scientific. Our scientists, Dr. Abrar Senhaji and Dr. Anupama Anupama participated in an insightful training session with Dr. Richard Welten from Thermo Fisher Scientific to master this exciting technology. The Bandmate system simplifies and accelerates Western blotting, reducing hands-on time while ensuring precision and reproducibility—a perfect match for our fast-paced, #plantbased #biomanufacturing platform. 😬🌱🚀 A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Richard Welten and Bert Heylen for their guidance and expertise. Together, we’re not just advancing workflows—we’re advancing science. 😎💁♀️🧑🔬 #MakingScienceSmarter #ProteinBiology #WesternBlotting #Automation #TeamSwiftPharma #ThermoFisher #Biomanufacturing #plantbased #plantfarming #biotechnology #innovation

Achieving true #sustainability in #biomanufacturing requires #bold #thinking. 🧠🤯 This week, we were thrilled to welcome a technician from LiLiChro Ltd. to our preparative chromatography lab to install a #MidiLili device and provide training to our scientific staff. This Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC) technology is a breakthrough for our #biomanufacturing processes, offering a #purification method that operates without a solid stationary phase. 💁♀️🧑🔬 By eliminating the need for resins, CPC allows us to envision a future where partial or even complete removal of resins from our purification workflow becomes a reality—a bold moonshot goal for SwiftPharma. This not only reduces costs and waste but also strengthens our commitment to #environmental #sustainability. 🌱🤩 This innovative and solvent-efficient technology will be critical for the industrial-scale purification of biotherapeutics, helping us produce high-quality outputs while advancing toward a more sustainable future. In this experiment we are extracting and purifying #plantproduced #pembrolizumab #biosimilar in partnership with PlantForm Corporation. Here’s to another leap forward in shaping the future of sustainable biomanufacturing! 🌱🚀 Credits to our scientists dr. Abrar Senhaji and dr. Anupama Anupama for their continuous drive and excitement. 🫶💯 #plantbased #biomanufacturing #plantfarming #biosimilar #biotherapeutics #sustainability #ecoresponsibility

It's official! 😍 SwiftPharma is proud to announce it has obtained a grant of €321.172 from VLAIO as part of a €1.1 million #Eurostars grant “A sustainable first-in-class multitargeted immunotherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer”- HBC.2024.0303. 👀 Together with CimCure B.V. and Amsterdam UMC, SwiftPharma will be developing a game-changing cancer vaccine which directly targets and destroys the tumour’s network of blood vessels so that the cancer stops growing and eventually disappears. Through CimCure B.V.'s proprietary Immune-Boost (#iBoost) technology, a foreign protein is fused to a protein found on the blood vessels going to the tumour, which, when injected into a patient, leads the body to produce antibodies which attack and destroy the tumour’s blood vessels. This unique process has been shown to effectively treat cancer and it does not create resistance to the therapy. Using SwiftPharma's #HyperXpress transient expression technology, CimCure B.V. and Amsterdam UMC will have access to sustainable #bioproduction in #plants, offering #speed, #scalability, and #economic development which are key in combating rising drug prices. 🌱 We would like would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Patricia Menten and the team at VLAIO for their unwavering support and guidance in our journey of innovation. This milestone is not just a win for our team but a step closer to delivering #groundbreaking solutions in #prostate #cancer #therapy. Your belief in our mission inspires us to push boundaries and make sustainable, impactful #biotherapeutics a reality. With this project, we are pioneering a path towards sustainable and accessible therapy for all cancer patients. 🚀🌱 Arjan W. Griffioen, Diederik Engbersen, Jeroen Hofenk, Amsterdam UMC, CimCure B.V., Elisabeth (Else) Huijbers, Judy van Beijnum, Johan Van Havermaet #innovation #prostatecancer #immunotherapy #eurostars #VLAIO #collaboration #plantmade #plantfarming #biotherapeutics #vaccine

Thats a wrap! 😎 Today marks Day 1 of 2-days #PHARMECO consortium kick-off meeting, and we’re proud to have our founder and CSO Jeroen Hofenk representing SwiftPharma at this incredible gathering of brilliant minds. As part of this groundbreaking €41 million flagship initiative, co-funded under the Innovative Health Initiative, we’re joining forces with 31 esteemed international partners to revolutionize pharmaceutical manufacturing. Together, we aim to shape a future of sustainable, safe, and scalable practices—transforming how pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals are produced and assessed for environmental impact. At SwiftPharma, we’re thrilled to bring our expertise to the consortium and focus on: 1) Advancing sustainable-by-design principles by developing intensified plant-based production platforms and integrating innovative purification and process analytical technologies for efficient eco-friendly biomanufacturing 2) Using predictive models to enhance production performance from lab to pilot-scale to commercial-scale, ensuring robust scalability and reliability of plant expression systems 3) Expanding the use of bio-renawable resources, implementing efficient use of water, energy, and raw materials 4) Advancing continuous downstream processes to maximize sustainability and productivity Being part of a consortium of universities, research institutes, governmental bodies, SMEs, and major pharmaceutical companies is an honor, and we’re eager to contribute to shaping the future of health and sustainability. 🌱 Here’s to a collaborative journey that will push boundaries and inspire innovation! 🚀 #PHARMECO #SustainabilityInPharma #SwiftPharma #InnovativeHealthInitiative #PlantBasedBiopharma #FutureOfPharma