Therapeutics from Transgenic Sources

Report Highlights

• The current worldwide market for therapeutics from transgenic sources is zero, but is expected to exceed $1 billion in 2008 and reach $18.6 billion in 2013.
• the projection for 2013.

INTRODUCTION

Recent advances in genomics and gene discovery have led to the identification of new biopharmaceuticals. As more genes are identified and proteins characterized, more biopharmaceutical targets will become available for drug discovery. As more protein products are developed to treat diseases, there is growing concern about the ability of the pharmaceutical industry to meet production demands.

This important BCC report provides insight into new technologies for producing drugs, biologics, cells, tissues and organs from transgenic animals and for producing biopharmaceuticals from transgenic plants. The primary products in development for human medicine using so-called biopharming or molecular pharming are protein-based drugs, including antibodies and vaccines.

The introduction of transgenic biopharmaceutical production technologies and transgenically produced human therapeutics will revolutionize the healthcare market in two ways. The first will be a significant reduction in the pricing of existing pharmaceuticals, which can be produced transgenically for as little as 1/1000th the cost of a product manufactured using mammalian cell culture systems. The second advantage of transgenic production is markedly higher profits for companies producing biopharmaceuticals using transgenic technology.

Transgenic animals already are in use for in vivo testing of drugs and vaccines designed for humans. Transgenic animals also are being used for the production of pharmaceuticals, in particular protein-based drugs, including antibodies that have yet to enter the marketplace.

SCOPE OF STUDY

The report contains:

• discussion of the transgenic species and technologies involved in the production of human therapeutics
• in-depth discussion of individual products currently in development
• estimates of current markets for proteinbased products with forecasts through 2013
• discussion of the impact of transgenically produced protein drugs and vaccines on the marketplace as well as the regulatory environment
• profiles of companies focusing solely on the development of these products as well as companies that are including such products in a diverse product pipeline.

METHODOLOGY

The base year for this study is 2003. Market figures are based on revenues at the manufacturers' level and are projected at 2003-dollar value (i.e., inflation is not computed into the projection figures).

INFORMATION SOURCES

Data to prepare this study was derived from information obtained from interviews with management at transgenic products and services companies as well as with personnel working at pharmaceutical, biotech and contract manufacturing companies, and government agency spokespersons. Key information from literature was used to obtain expert opinion on commercial potential and market sizes from industry professionals.

AUTHOR'S CREDENTIALS

Lynn Gray has been a research analyst in biotechnology and life sciences since 1989 and with BCC since 1996. During that time, she has authored numerous reports in the biomedical field, 20 for BCC alone. BA, University of California, Riverside, 1973.