Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons An Overview of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Organisation for the Prohibition

• f Chemical Weapons

An Overview of the OPCW Scientific Advisory Board Temporary Working Group

• n Convergence of Chemistry and Biology

BWC Meeting of Experts, 14 August 2013, Geneva

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From rom the CWC Third rd Review w Confer ference nce

“The Third Review Conference noted the increasing convergence of chemistry and biology, and welcomed the establishment of the SAB temporary working group on the convergence of chemistry and biology to explore and consider the potential implications of these advances to the Convention”

• paragraph 9.142 of RC3 Outcome Document

“Encouraged States Parties and the Secretariat to continue to keep the Convergence of chemistry and biology under review, including through the SAB temporary working group on the convergence of chemistry and biology, and encouraged greater interaction between relevant experts;”

• paragraph 9.155c of RC3 Outcome Document

Furthermore, 9 States Parties noted Convergence in their statements in the General Debate

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Why y Con

• nvergence

rgence is is Im Impor

• rtant

ant

2015 2010 2005 2000 1995 1990 1985 1980 1975 1970 1965 1960 180,000,000 160,000,000 140,000,000 120,000,000 100,000,000 80,000,000 60,000,000 40,000,000 20,000,000

CAS Numbers (# of chemicals) Sequenced Genes (Genbank) Growing at ~12000/day Since 2006 1993 Year Data Base Entries

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Tempor mporar ary y Workin

• rking

g Grou Group (T (TWG) G) on

• n

Con

• nvergence

rgence of

• f Ch

Chem emistr istry y an and Bio iolo logy gy

• Chaire

red d by W William am Kane, Ph.D.

• Industrial Chemist, United States of America
• 13 Technical

ical expe perts including uding 4 curr rrent nt membe bers of the OPCW Scientif tific ic Ad Advisory y Board rd

• TWG includes one member of BWC ISU
• Guest

t spe peakers s bro brought in to infor form m the T TWG on curr rrent nt status tus of re relevant t topi pics

• Academic and industry affiliations

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Con

• nvergence

rgence TWG G Meetings ings an and Repor

• rts

ts

• Meet

etings ings

• November 2011
• September 2012
• April 2013
• (November 2013)
• Repo

ports s available ble online at: t:

www.opcw.org/about-opcw/subsidiary-bodies/scientific advisory board/documents/reports/

• Compr

prehensiv sive re repo port of fi findi dings ngs du due at end o d of Term rm of re refere ferenc nce (e (end nd of

• f 2013)

3)

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TWG G Repor

• rts

s to SA

• SAB on
• n:
• a)

) Biol

• log
• gically

ically medi diated d synt nthe hesis is of

• f che

hemical cals: s:

• The pro

rocesses ses that are used in the biolog

• gic

ically ally mediated d synthesis hesis of chemicals als;

• The extent of use of biologic

gically ally mediated d synthesis esis in commerc ercial ial chemical al pro roduction ion;

• The use of biologic

gically ally mediated d techniques ues for the synthesis sis

• f toxic chemicals

als;

• The application

ation of biologic gically ally mediated d pro rocesse sses s for the synthesis/p hesis/produc roduction ion of toxins and bioregulat ulators, , and future trends; s;

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TWG G Repor

• rts

s to SA

• SAB on
• n:

: (2 (2)

• b)

b) Chemical al synthesis is of agents s of bi biological cal ori rigin (e.g. toxins, ns, bi bior

• regulat

lator

• rs)

) and nd of

• f re

repl plicatin ating g systems; ms;

Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-MePhe-Met(O)-ol

PhCH2CH2N NCOEt Ph CO2Me

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TWG G Repor

• rts

s to SA

• SAB on
• n:

: (3 (3)

• c)

) Whet hethe her r any bi biot

• techn

hnolo

• logica

gical proc processe ses exist, oth

• ther

r than bi biologically ally medi diated d synthesis, is, that are re of re relevanc nce to the im impl plementation tation of the C CWC; (i.e. wh whet ether r the type pes of pro produ duction tion equipm pment nt and d proc processe sses may po pose a signi nifi fica cant nt ri risk to th

• the ob
• bject and

nd pu purpo rpose of the Conven vention) ion)

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TWG G Repor

• rts

s to SA

• SAB on
• n:

: (4 (4)

• d) The meaning of “production by synthesis”

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TWG G Repor

• rts

s to SA

• SAB on
• n:

: (5 (5)

• e) T

) The he pot potent ntial al be bene nefi fits s to th

• the CWC of
• f th

the con

• nver

vergence gence

• f chemistr

try y and d bi biology (wh which might include ude e.g. prot protectiv ctive measure res, s, medi dical l counterme rmeasure asures, , and d di diagnostic nostics) s).

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TWG G Repor

• rts

s to SA

• SAB on
• n:

: (6 (6)

• f)

) Whet hethe her r the here re are re oth

• ther

r scientific ntific di discipl plines, ines, apa part t from rom bi biology, , that are re converging verging in a s signif ificant icant way wi with chemistr try, , and d wh whet ether r it is po possibl ble to ide dentify y tri rigge ggers s or e r earl rly-warni arning ng indi dicat ators s for for pot potential ial game- cha hanging nging even vents tha hat might ht ha have ve impl plications cations (w (whet hethe her r po positive or n r negati tive) for for the CWC.