Unit06Case Study

Case Study: Ventria Bioscience and the Controversy over Plant-Made Medicines

GB590 Corporate Social Responsibility

Professor Mary Dereshiwsky

June 3, 2012

Introduction

Ventria Bioscience is a privately held biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to “enable global access to life-saving recombinant medicines and other biotechnology products through its innovative, cost-effective technology platform”. (Ventria, 2012) The proprietary technology platform is its manufacturing product pipeline called ExpressTec. This development and production platform delivers innovative products in human nutrition and human therapeutics. Ventria developed two protein products via genetically modified rice to grow the proteins lactoferrin and lysozyme, both naturally found in human breast milk. Since breast-fed babies have been known to have fewer issues with diarrhea, the company planned to market these products for the treatment of diarrhea, primarily in children. There was a potential market to tourists, military personnel and to those suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. (Lawrence & Weber, 2011, p. 494) This paper will analyze the current situation to determine what the best course of action for Ventria Bioscience regarding the controversy over plant-made medicines. This paper is intended to examine the problem faced by the company, discuss the triple bottom line implications, and proposing a solution. As a result of this analysis, the proposed recommendation will provide a strategy for what Ventria should do to respond to this situation for the most beneficial outcome. Ventria has over 100 patents in its intellectual portfolio and strive to provide new human therapeutic products as well as vaccines for controlling zoonotic diseases. (Ventria, 2012)

Triple Bottom Line Implications

Environmental Impact

Environmentally, there are a number of risk factors associated with plant-made medicines. The type of risk and the...