New technological and scientific advances have allowed a Canadian genetics research company, Sembiosys Genetics, to develop a method to grow insulin in plants to be used by type 1 diabetics. Researchers at Sembiosys Genetics managed to insert insulin into a plant called a safflower thus causing the production of a compound called pro-insulin. After pro-insulin is produced, various enzymes are introduced to convert pro-insulin into a type of insulin known as SBS-100. Further testing of SBS-100 is required, but if successful, a new method of developing relatively low cost insulin will be discovered.
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