How to make millions of opioids, using yeast

By Matthew Knight, CNN

Updated 5:56 AM ET, Tue April 5, 2016

Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.

Photos:

Poppies have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries by ancient civilizations all over the world. Today, they are the primary source for many painkillers.

Hide Caption

1 of 10

Photos:

Current opioid production methods involve harvesting sap from poppies (pictured) and processing them to produce opioid drugs, which takes one year.

Hide Caption

2 of 10

Photos:

Poppy farms face many challenges both from the perspective of trying to grow crops reliably each year and the movement of narcotic materials across borders.

Hide Caption

3 of 10

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, hydrocodone (pictured) is the <a href="http://blogs.fda.gov/fdavoice/index.php/2014/10/re-scheduling-prescription-hydrocodone-combination-drug-products-an-important-step-toward-controlling-misuse-and-abuse/" target="_blank">most prescribed opioid in the U.S.</a> with an estimated 137 million prescriptions in 2013.

Photos:

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, hydrocodone (pictured) is the most prescribed opioid in the U.S. with an estimated 137 million prescriptions in 2013.

Hide Caption

4 of 10

Photos:

According to the International Narcotic Control Board, approximately three-quarters of the world's population live in countries with inadequate to pain relief, including India (pictured).

Hide Caption

5 of 10

Photos:

Synthetic biologist Christina Smolke (pictured) has set out to provide opioid drugs for the masses by injecting yeast with the DNA of opium poppies.

Hide Caption

6 of 10

Photos:

Smolke's technique is anticipated to make opioid drugs within three to five days. She's confident her method will lead to drug advances for other conditions, such as cancer.

Hide Caption

7 of 10

Photos:

As well as Opium poppies, the yeast are engineered to have genes from six other organisms, including California poppies (pictured).

Hide Caption

8 of 10

Photos:

Smolke (second from left) and her team have set up Antheia - a company created to commercialize their research and provide medicines to all who need them.

Hide Caption

9 of 10

Photos:

Fear of fueling addictions is one reason Smolke's technology hasn't been met with universal approval. Some observers fear a rise in so-called "home-brew" heroin.

Hide Caption

10 of 10