Protalix Biotherapeutics chairman discusses breakthrough in gout treatment, drug pipeline - ICYMI

Protalix Biotherapeutics Inc (NYSE-A:PLX) chairman Eliot Forster joined Proactive to discuss the company's unique approach to drug manufacturing using plant cells instead of mammalian cells.

He explained that this method enhances purity, sustainability, and reproducibility, setting Protalix apart in the biotech space.

Proactive: We welcome back inside our Proactive newsroom. And joining me now is Dr Eliot Forster. He is the chairman of Protalix BioTherapeutics. Dr Forster, great to see you. How are you?

Eliot Forster: Yeah, I'm very well. Thanks. Lovely to speak with you.

I'm excited to get a little more insight into Protalix and the work the company is doing. As chairman, you must be excited about its progress. Can you tell us what Protalix does?

Absolutely. Protalix is quite unique in the biotech industry. We have products on the market, sold through partnerships with Pfizer and Chiesi. These products originated from our own pipeline, which is a significant achievement. Getting a single drug to market is challenging, but we've managed to do it twice from the same pipeline, which is remarkable.

The company operates on its own platform called ProCellEx. Can you explain how this works?

Sure. Like most proteins manufactured for human use, ours are produced in cells. However, the key difference is that we use plant cells instead of mammalian cells, which is the more common approach. This has major benefits in terms of purity, sustainability, and environmental impact. The reproducibility of our method is also significant because we are working with plant cells, making the process highly controlled. We produce the same human proteins as those made using mammalian cells, such as CHO cells, which are widely used in protein drug production.

The company is developing PRX-115 for gout, and the first-in-human study took place in 2024. Can you share some insights?

Yes, we are really excited about PRX-115. The gout market is not well served, particularly for severe cases. There are some painkillers available for mild to moderate gout, but severe gout can lead to joint deformities and organ complications. We believe PRX-115 has the potential to transform treatment for these patients. It’s another product from our research pipeline, following our two commercial products. We are encouraged by the data we've seen so far and are eager to continue its development.

Does that mean a Phase 2 trial is planned for this year?

Yes, that’s the plan. We are moving PRX-115 forward while carefully evaluating the needs of patients. Internally, we have clear decision criteria, and everything we've seen so far gives us confidence in its potential success.

On the financial side, you mentioned earlier that the company has three revenue streams. All of them saw increases in 2024, making it a record year. Can you talk about that growth?

2024 was a breakthrough year for us. We developed our partnership with Chiesi and saw progress in commercialization worldwide. That has contributed to our strong financial performance. Looking ahead, we expect to continue strengthening our business through these partnerships and by advancing our R&D pipeline to build further value.

Financial stability is crucial for biotech companies. I noticed that Protalix has repaid all its debt and has no outstanding warrants. How important is that for your operations?

It's very important. Unlike many biotechs, we don’t have to rely heavily on equity financing because we have revenue. That income helps support our R&D activities. It’s a unique position for a biotech company, and we are excited about the opportunities it creates for us moving forward.

Beyond PRX-115, what else is in the pipeline for 2025 that excites you?

We recently completed an extensive R&D review. We are looking at new innovations from our manufacturing processes to early-stage pipeline projects. Our focus includes treatments for rare diseases, particularly those affecting organ systems that lack adequate treatment options. Renal diseases are one example. We now have the experience to take a product from research through development and into commercialization. 2025 will be another exciting year for us, and the team is working hard to bring more data forward.

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and style