What’s the Difference Between “Biologics” and Conventional Pharmaceuticals?
Biologics or biotech products have several characteristics that distinguish them from regular pharmaceutical products. Most biotech products are proteins, which are much larger molecular structures than conventional medicines.
In fact, industry insiders refer to them as “small molecules” to distinguish them from biotech products. Because of their size, most biologics need to be delivered into the human body by injection, whereas conventional drugs can be ingested in either pill or capsule form.
Biologics are also more expensive to manufacture, since they require special facilities where DNA can be produced and purified and where cell cultures can be cultivated without contamination. This is in contrast with conventional drugs, which are made or “synthesized” from inert chemicals and can be manufactured at a relatively low cost per unit. This makes biotech drugs some of the most expensive medicines available. Although a few biotech drugs are mass marketed and have achieved the status of “blockbuster” or at least $1 billion in sales, most are actually specialty pharmaceuticals with narrow, targeted, small patient populations. All of these characteristics impact the development and marketing of biotech drugs.
Biologics or biotech products have several characteristics that distinguish them from regular pharmaceutical products. Most biotech products are proteins, which are much larger molecular structures than conventional medicines.
In fact, industry insiders refer to them as “small molecules” to distinguish them from biotech products. Because of their size, most biologics need to be delivered into the human body by injection, whereas conventional drugs can be ingested in either pill or capsule form.
Biologics are also more expensive to manufacture, since they require special facilities where DNA can be produced and purified and where cell cultures can be cultivated without contamination. This is in contrast with conventional drugs, which are made or “synthesized” from inert chemicals and can be manufactured at a relatively low cost per unit. This makes biotech drugs some of the most expensive medicines available. Although a few biotech drugs are mass marketed and have achieved the status of “blockbuster” or at least $1 billion in sales, most are actually specialty pharmaceuticals with narrow, targeted, small patient populations. All of these characteristics impact the development and marketing of biotech drugs.
