By JORDAN STRICKLER

Kentucky Correspondent

LEXINGTON, Ky. — A research trial studying the feasibility of growing Artemisia plants used to treat malaria has completed a successful first season.

The study, a partnership between the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center (KTRDC) and the German-based ArtemiFlow, analyzed three varieties on a three-acre plot at UK’s Spindletop Farm.

Artemisia, also known as the sweet wormwood plant, originates from China and has been used for centuries to treat fevers and malaria. According to the World Health Organization, malaria kills more than 650,000 people every year around the world, most of whom are children; the research being done at UK could go a long way toward decreasing that number.

ArtemiFlow uses technology developed at Germany’s Max Planck Institute to improve the efficiency of artemisinin production from plants – technology that could greatly reduce production costs.

“The market for malaria medicines based on artemisinin is well established, being a generic medicine for more than 20 years,” explained Kerry Gilmore, a researcher at Max Planck and co-founder of ArtemiFlow, in an email.

“Over the past seven years, we have combined what are traditionally multiple industries – agriculture, extraction, synthesis and formulation – into one company, capturing the entire supply chain. This will allow us to produce more medicine more inexpensively than anyone else worldwide.”

KTRDC researchers collected seeds from various artemisia lines to grow transplants in their greenhouse, which were followed by field trials. The ultimate goal is to identify lines with high levels of artemisinin and use them to develop a new opportunity for Kentucky farmers.

ArtemiFlow believes the Bluegrass State is a perfect growing area for the crop and plans to build an extraction facility is also in the works. The group thinks Kentucky has the opportunity to become the world’s leading producer of artemisinin-derived medicines by combining the efficiency and cost savings of the chemical manufacturing technology with highly skilled and innovative farmers in the area.

ArtemiFlow’s projected acreage to be contracted will start at 3,000 acres in 2020, and is expected to double every few years.

“Our crop grows very similar to tobacco,” said Gilmore. “As such, we were looking for experienced regions in the world in tobacco production. After discussions with (Kentucky House of Representatives) Majority Leader Jonathan Shell, we were convinced that Kentucky had the experience, talent and motivation to make our crop and company successful.”

Gilmore is excited where the crop can go – and where it can take the state.

“This same medication is also highly active against a range of cancers. With the Markey Cancer Center, we will repurpose this drug for use against cancers (with the same lack of side effects that make this malaria medicine safe for children) and, once approved, will result in a significant increase in acreage for this crop. Finally, we will be one of the top-paying crops in Kentucky.

 “When we combine the talents of Kentucky ag producers with our patented technology and expertise, together we will make Kentucky the world leader in producing malaria medicine, and in the future, low-cost, highly effective cancer medicines,” Gilmore added.