Biologics
The commercial use of biologics (biopharmaceuticals), which began a few decades ago with the introduction of recombinant human insulin, has revolutionized modern medicine and will continue to do so.
2010 global biologics sales totaled more than USD 100 billion, and steadily growing demand for these cutting-edge medicines means that annual growth rates are several times those of the overall pharmaceutical sector. By 2016, the figure is expected to reach USD 150 billion – with many leading drugs no longer protected by patents.
What They Are
Biologics are medicines produced from living organisms using commercial biotechnology techniques. They are...
Why They Matter
As the global population continues to grow and to age, biologics are increasingly being recognized as the only medicines...
Access and Competition
Biologics are significantly more expensive than small-molecule drugs; one (US) estimate shows that the average price...
Biologics at Sandoz
Sandoz, the generics division of the Novartis Group, has decades of experience in the commercial production...
