Plant molecular farming as a biomanufacturing platform: From molecular design to industrial implementation

Abstract

Plant molecular farming (PMF) has developed into a versatile biomanufacturing approach for producing vaccines and therapeutic proteins through transient or stable expression in plants. By combining the precision of genetic engineering with the scalability of plant cultivation, PMF offers a low-cost, safe, and sustainable alternative to established microbial and mammalian expression systems. This review presents an integrated overview of plant-based biomanufacturing, covering host cultivation, gene delivery, downstream purification and quality control, with particular emphasis on process innovations that support industrial adaptation and regulatory compliance. Recent advances in transient expression technologies, controlled-environment cultivation, process automation, and scalable purification workflows have significantly improved process efficiency and robustness, helping move PMF towards industrial maturity. The review also considers remaining challenges, including process reproducibility, quality and analytical standards, regulatory harmonisation, and public acceptance, alongside the increasing role of industry in translating PMF into commercial practice. Overall, PMF is characterised as an evolving platform that integrates biological design with process engineering, offering a promising route towards sustainable, decentralised, and globally accessible biomanufacturing.