INTRODUCTION/SUMMARY
No longer does the biotechnology revolution have to explain its value, as it did in the beginning. Today the results are tangible? With significant product sales, a record number of new products in the pipeline, and a breathtaking array of basic discoveries having commercial potential in medicine, agriculture, chemicals and the environment.
Keeping up with all the changing technical and commercial activities is precisely what this anthology provides. Drawn from the pages of Applied Genetics News (AGN), coupled with summary analyses of the major fields of application taken from BCC's industry studies, this anthology details the sweep of biotechnology activities: in the laboratory, in commercial production and in the marketplace, revealing who's doing what? And why.
Companies are moving from drug discovery and development based in medicinal chemistry to designing and developing drugs based on information provided by genomics and related technologies. While gene therapy and antisense technologies may not enter the market for several more years, they will change forever the treatment of diseases by actually curing diseases rather than treating symptoms. Antibody-based drugs, in particular monoclonal antibody-based products, are on the cusp of significant commercial growth. New developments in antibody products are spurred in part by advances in technology that have now surmounted previous technical barriers to commercialization.
The total market for biotechnology-enabling technologies and selected "star" products is estimated at nearly $12.5 billion in 2000. This market is expected to rise at an AAGR (average annual growth rate) of between 19.3% and 22.8% to as much as $34 billion in 2005.
Enabling technologies-enomics, proteomics, pharmacogenomics, and bioinformatics-represent the bulk of the market, with sales estimated at $7.6 billion in 2000. This combined market segment is expected to grow at an AAGR of 17.7% to cross $17 billion by 2005. The sectors contributing most to the growth of enabling technologies are pharmacogenomics, which will have an AAGR exceeding 100% from 2000 to 2005, and microarray assays or DNA chips, which will have an AAGR approaching 40% during the same period.
The biotechnology revolution continues to affect nearly every sector of the economy. It also influences bioprocess technology, along with supportive reagents and equipment. Today, the importance of biotechnology to the economy is without doubt. Its practical benefits? Significant already? Continue to unfold.
Keeping up with the changing developments relevant to commercial interests is the purpose of this review, which is based on an anthology of the 2000 Applied Genetics News newsletter, which takes the pulse of research, technology, products, applications, patents, industry news, financial developments and players. It's been said that grasping the meaning of today's events will shape tomorrow, and our in-depth coverage of the news provides reporting as well as analysis.
This anthology provides a comprehensive analysis on the biotechnology sector covering topics on:
- Bioprocess technology
- Infectious diseases
- Clinical trials
- Neurotechnology
- Diagnostics
- Food
- Agriculture
- Enzymes
- Catalytic RNA
- Cancer
- Genome projects
- Regulatory activity
- Strategic alliances
- Technology transfer
- Energy
- Vaccines
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