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Tobacco Plants Helping Battle Ebola, Nerve Gases

Tobacco plants are seen in a bad light by some because of their association with cigarettes and lung cancer.

But a Guelph-based company is using the plants as a low-cost way to produce drugs.

PlantForm is a spin-off of the University of Guelph.

The company is currently working on an Ebola treatment and a nerve gas antidote.

It uses genetically modified tobacco plants to grow biopharmaceuticals in fully-contained greenhouse environments.

President and CEO Don Stewart says that significantly lowers the cost of those drugs compared with industry standard fermentation systems.

Besides the work it's currently doing on an Ebola treatment and a nerve gas antidote, PlantForm already produces some cancer drugs and innovator antibodies for HIV/AIDS treatment.

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Crash in Tilbury claims driver's life

Chatham-Kent police reported a 44-year-old man driving a pickup truck was killed in the crash at Jeanettes Creek Road and Coutts Line around 6 p.m. Tuesday.

CK police charge woman with assault

According to Chatham-Kent police, the victim was walking around King Street East in Chatham when she was approached by a woman she didn't know and struck in the face.

(File photo courtesy of © Can Stock Photo Inc. / dehooks)

Scoreboard, Aug 5

The Toronto Blue Jays lost 7-2 to the Houston Astros on Tuesday while the Detroit Tigers won their fourth straight, 8-0 over Seattle.