how are biopharmaceuticals changing the options for treating diseases?

Answer 1

Biopharmaceuticals are discovered and manufactured using biotechnology. There are now many FDA approved and Investigational 'drugs' that were originally natural molecules the human body uses in its normal physiological functions. For example, the biopharmaceutical "erythropoeitin" is a hormone that drives red blood cell production. After its structure, amino acid sequence and genetic code was learned, it was possible to manufacture it in cells (called expression vectors) after its gene sequence and appropriate promotors were inserted into the vector genome.

The processes used to manufacture one kind of biopharmaceutical can also be used to manufacture others. This is very different from using traditional chemical synthesis and fractionation to make a product as the specifics of the equipment may be different for each product made.

The advantages of making biopharmaceuticals changes the options for treating diseases because it becomes economical to make products that may benefit a smaller group of patients with a rare disease. It is also possible to make a specific biopharmaceutical for an individual patient, analogous to doing surgery to correct an extremely rare abnormality.

These possibilities have spawned an industrial vision called Pharmacogenomics. The future looks good if the company can determine in advance that a specific drug will work or will not be toxic in a specific patient merely by examining the patient's genome, looking for specific genes that may signal the potential usefullness or dangers associated with use of the drug.