Biotech companies create products that benefit human beings, including drugs and therapies that could help save lives, boost the yield of agricultural crops, and also produce environmentally friendly chemicals and fuels. Bioinformatics is also a part of it, which is the study of biological processes and information and can be applied to a variety of industries.
Biotech has its roots in the 1970s when the recombinant-DNA technology (genetic engineering) was developed and patented. This technique allows scientists splice genes within production cells, which then begin to produce valuable protein molecules.
Today, a majority of pharmaceutical companies have active target-discovery research programs that are heavily reliant on biotechnology. There are also small companies that employ exclusive techniques to create therapeutic drugs.
Companies that focus on agrobiology, cosmetics, the environment and food industry nutraceuticals, industrial biotechnology, as well veterinary medicine, are also looking at other biotechnology applications. Fully integrated Pharma companies are huge commercial enterprises that conduct research and produce branded or generic drugs.
Biotech is undergoing a transformation due to new technologies. Companies can now validate their systems for conditions that have understood mechanisms, such as sickle cell anemia. They can also reach more patients. Certain companies are working to develop new treatments for diseases that haven’t been addressed, such as Duchenne muscle dystrophy.