Convergence of Chemistry and Biology OPCW Temporary Working Group - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Convergence of Chemistry and Biology

OPCW Temporary Working Group Report Summary

8/6/2014

• W. Kane, OPCW Scientific Advisory Board

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• Background/Overview: OPCW Temporary Working

Group (TWG) on Convergence

• Final Report:
• Summary Key Findings
• Recommendations
• Questions

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Outline

TWG – Background Why establish a TWG?

• To further study – at a practical level - the rapid advances in life

sciences (in particular, the most recent developments in the Convergence of Chemistry and Biology), and

• To consider the implications to the CWC, recognizing that these

developments could potentially be misused

• TWG can draw on the expertise from the biotechnology field in
• rder to complete the assessment.

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TWG – Background (2)

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Members appointed by the Director-General Composition:

• Chairs Bill Kane, Robert Mathews (1st Mtg), 13 Members including BWC

staff, biotech industry, several guest speakers Meetings: 4 Meetings in 2 years: Nov 2011 Nov 2013 Reports:

• TWG meeting reports: attached to Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) reports

following TWG meeting

• Final Report:
• Completed and approved by OPCW Scientific Advisor Board
• Issued to the OPCW Director-General for review

TWG – Overview

• TWG could only take a “snapshot picture” of the convergence issue
• Technology advances in biotechnology are moving ahead rapidly so

assessments are based on what is known at this point in time.

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TWG – Summary of Key Points Pace of Change

• Enabling technologies are affecting the pace of change of Life

Sciences

• Examples of enabling technologies include:
• DNA sequencing and synthesis,
• Informatics and computing capacity,
• Sharing of technical data on the Internet, and
• Automated robotics in research and development (R&D).
• This has resulted in an expanded capability to:
• redesign or manipulate organisms
• to design and engineer improved enzymes

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TWG – Summary of Key Points (2) Pace of Change

• Multidisciplinary research teams are becoming the norm,

encompassing a range of technical expertise, including:

• chemistry,
• biology,
• physics,
• mathematics,
• computing,
• engineering,
• materials science

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TWG – Summary of Key Points (3) Commercialization of Bio-based Processes

• Biologically mediated processes studied:
• microbial fermentation
• Use of enzymes
• Commercial production of bulk, fine and specialty chemicals using

bio-based processes is increasing:

• Biotechnology advances make it possible to develop high yield bio-processes
• High price and limited availability of some petroleum feedstocks can make

bio-based processes commercially competitive

• Desire to use environmentally friendly “green processes”

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TWG – Summary o f Key Points (4) Commercialization of Bio-based Processes

• What are the implications for the Chemical Weapons Convention

verification regime?

• TWG reviewed the meaning of the term ‘produced by synthesis’ as it

applies to Part IX of the Verification Annex of the Convention

• TWG stated: Any process designed for the formation of a chemical

substance should be covered by the term “produced by synthesis”

• Should new, commercial bio-based production facilities be

declared/inspected by OPCW? (needs further assessment by Verification TWG, SAB, TS and Policy Making Organs)

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• W. Kane, OPCW Scientific Advisory Board

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Summary o f Key Points (5) Use of Bio-Based Processes for Synthesis of Toxic Chemicals

• CWC Scheduled Chemicals ……
• metabolic pathways are known for some PSF chemicals

(containing phosphorus, sulfur or fluorine)

• no known advantages in trying to produce classical chemical

warfare agents, such as nerve agents or blister agents (CWC Schedule 1), through biological means

• Regarding other toxic chemicals, it is more likely that bio-based

processes would be applied to produce a precursor chemical, particularly as the toxic chemical may have biocidal activity.

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Summary of Key Points (6) Biosynthesis of Toxins

• Natural metabolic pathways have been published for production of

saxitoxin, ricin (included on CWC Schedule 1 list) and many other toxins.

• In vitro biosynthesis of saxitoxin and ricin has been described.
• However, there are practical limitations with regard to scale and complexity.

Obtaining ricin and small quantities of saxitoxin from their natural sources is simpler than employing metabolic engineering strategies.

• The threat of possible misuse of current bio-based production technology

with regard to the CWC toxins is therefore currently considered low

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Summary o f Key Points (7) Biosynthesis of Bioregulators

• Bioregulators – chemicals that mediate a wide range of body functions
• Peptides are the largest group of bioregulators and have been the class

for which commentators on the CWC have expressed most concern for misuse.

• Peptides could be produced using metabolic engineering and synthetic

biology but the pharmaceutical industry currently regards multi-step chemical synthesis, using specialized equipment, as the most cost- effective method for producing many small peptides.

• There are shortcomings of peptides as drugs (and by implication, for

uses prohibited by the Convention)

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Summary of Key Points (8) Benefits of Convergence

• Combined with other advances, particularly in

nanotechnology, the benefits related to CWC also include:

• developing improved defensive countermeasures,
• beneficial developments in protective clothing and

equipment,

• decontamination,
• medical countermeasures, and
• verification, detection/diagnostics

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TWG Recommendations

• TWG made 19 recommendations in total,
• 6 major recommendations to the Director-General (listed below)
• Rec.#1: The SAB and the TS should continue to monitor advances and trends

in production technologies relevant to convergence, and assess the relevance

• f these processes to verification under the CWC. Regular engagement with

subject matter experts, e.g. from the biotechnology industry, will be required.

• Rec.#2: Advances in systems and synthetic biology, which have enormous

potential for beneficial and commercial purposes, should be monitored by the SAB and the TS, particularly in terms of enhancing the capability and capacity to synthesise more complex chemicals (in particular toxic chemicals, toxins and bioregulators). Regular engagement with subject matter experts will be required.

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TWG Recommendations to Director-General – Continued (2)

• Rec.#3: Advances in nanotechnology, particularly as they apply to improved

defensive countermeasures against Chemical Weapons, should be monitored.

• Rec. #4: As the convergence of chemistry, biology and other sciences is a technically

complex area, consideration should be given to the development of outreach material to assist staff at States Parties permanent missions to the OPCW in understanding possible implications for the CWC.

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TWG Recommendations to Director-General– Continued (3)

• Rec.# 5: A structured approach to maintaining contacts with the BWC community

should be established. Existing relationships should be further developed to bring together technical expertise in areas of common interest.

• Rec.# 6: With the rapid pace of advances, consideration should be given to re-

activating the TWG on Convergence periodically, e.g. every 5 years prior to the SAB report to the Director-General on science and technology (S&T), in order to assess recent advances.

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TWG Final Report

• Director-General is reviewing
• Link to report:

http://www.opcw.org/index.php?eID=dam_frontend_push&docID=17438

• Questions/comments?

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