This brief paper examines the impending opportunities for smaller biotech companies to crack open the door and compete against the global pharmaceutical giants that are currently the major players in the industry.
Abstract This paper focuses on the biotech industry which is currently controlled by several big global companies and the fact that this is about to change. Patents on nearly $40 billion in drugs manufactured by the large pharmaceutical companies are set to expire which should open the door for smaller companies to help medicate the world. The writer's vision is for smaller companies to secure a place in an international growth market, to receive approval by various government agencies, to prove the efficacy of innovations and more importantly to solve some of the world's ills which can be alleviated by biotechnological products. This paper includes a statistical graph detailing biotech industry threats and opportunities.
Topics covered in this report include:
Vision Statement
Mission Statement
Competition
Political
Ecological
Energy
Economic
Spirit/Ethics
International
Technology
Social
Conclusions and Statistics About Threats and Opportunities for a New Venture
Citations
From the Paper "As long as there is no human genome project underway, there is little government interference. However, the American companies claim that the FDA is much too slow, compared to overseas regulatory agencies, to approve new drugs. For this reason, many of the companies are either buying, being bought by, or creating partnerships with overseas companies in order to sell their drugs where restrictions are not as tight as in the U.S. One major problem that the industry faces is the high cost to the consumer. Congress has a number of bills about medical costs."
Abstract The paper explores the dangers of genetically engineered food products in the marketplace. It traces activities of anti-genetic engineering groups and their relationship with biotech corporations. Legal and political implications of the industry are also studied.
From the Paper "The new biotechnology of genetic engineering initiates thoughts of a glow in the dark bunny, plants that eat poison, plants that contain pesticides and some medicines. New cures for diseases or solutions to problems that plague the world, such as starvation, are the promises made by the many supporters of this technology. However, many people are skeptical, because they know little of the potential side effects it may have on the people who eat or use the genetically modified products. An article printed in the Christian Science Monitor entitled "Europe Invites Biotech Debate" by Peter Ford on September 11, 2001, explains the position of the public and the European Commission concerning genetically modified products while keeping his view of the issue from influencing the way that he writes. Karen Charman, on the other hand, lets her views of government control give her a clear agenda as to how she states the United States? position in this debate in her article, ?Spinning Science into Gold.? Comparing the biotech issues between ?Spinning Science into Gold,? and ?Europe Invites Biotech Debate,? one sees that, unlike European nations, corporations in the United States maintain exclusive control over genetically engineered products. Clearly there is a need for government intervention to regulate corporations."
Abstract This paper focuses on the ethical decisions that farmers are forced to make. Since the introduction of GMOs (genetically modified organisms), globalization, new technologies, and agribusiness, farmers are either forced to sell out or jump on the global bandwagon. The paper discusses the role of politics and biotechnology, including specific discussions about Monsanto and other biotech companies, in modern day farming. The effects of specific GMOs are examined along with economic advantages and environmental disadvantages of using biotech products.
From the Paper "The influence of technology and economic growth on agriculture is an issue that has been widely examined for years. Growing world populations and the need to increase productivity have put a strain on the common practices of farming. Since antiquity, the general public has depended on the productivity of farmers for food. Globalization and economics have forced an increase in the demand of agricultural products. With the development of these demands, corporations and government agencies have introduced ideas for better and more efficient production of foods."
Abstract This paper examines how the biotechnology sector is one of the most research and development-intensive and capital-focused industries in the world. It confronts the problems facing the industry, proposes solutions, and provides viable alternatives. A specific comparison is made between the United States and the European Union, including ethical considerations and consumer perceptions.
Outline
Executive Summary
Biotechnology Market Analysis
Assumption
Key Biotech Sectors
History of the Biotech Industry - An EU Perspective
Current Industry Context - Global Basis
Key Markets
Outlook
Alternatives
Recommendation
Appendices
From the Paper "Agricultural biotechnology applications, primarily Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), have been widely accepted in the US. Conversely, in the EU, conflict rages on regarding the genetic engineering or hormonal growth and enhancement in food sources. Recently, several French farmers were charged with the of destruction of private property for destroying test fields from neighboring farmers for fear of the modified seeds spreading and tainting their own crops.23 Biotech applications including pharmaceutical, bio-warfare prevention, genetic malfunction and detection of abnormal activity and correction through re-engineering of cellular level laboratory creations and manipulated organisms is still in alignment with some of the US sentiment and most EU denizens as long as it does not include stem-cell research."
A look at the differences between biotechnology companies, blue chip companies, and Silicon Valley computer companies in terms of their organization and workforce.
1,827 words (approx. 7.3 pages), 10 sources, 2000, $ 58.95
Abstract Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing fields in the world. This is evident by how interested the stock market has become in any company that deals in this field. Biotechnology firms have a different organizational culture than companies that are traditional ?Blue Chips.? They are also different from "Silicon Valley" companies because a majority of the employees at biotechnology firms are scientists. Biotechs differ from "Blue Chip" companies because most of the "Blue Chip" employees are in strictly business-related fields, such as finance or marketing. Biotechnology firms are different from "Silicon Valley" companies because their employees are mostly computer programmers. This paper will discuss these differences by using Human Genome Sciences as the example.
A Brief overview of biotechnology
Why Biotechnology Firms are Different
An Overview of Human Genome Sciences
Organizational Culture in other Industries
The Culture of Human Genome Sciences
From the Paper "The birth of the world's most famous sheep, the genetically cloned Dolly, sparked turbulent ethical, scientific, and religious debate, taking Genetic Engineering from the laboratories and thrusting it onto the front pages of the world. The living proof of what was once considered no more than science fiction prompted an entirely new range of dangers and possibilities. Jeremy Rifkin's The Biotech Century warns of the dangers of genetic engineering and takes a rather alarmist stance in revealing the outcomes of current and future genetic research."
Abstract An essay about antibiotic production. The author examines the historical view of how antibiotics were first discovered, how antibiotics are naturally produced in microorganisms and the biotech aspect of it with focus on how today's antibiotics are produced commercially.
From the Paper "Today, some 5000 different antibiotics are known. Of these, around 100 are currently used to treat infections. Some are broad spectrum weapons, while others have more specialized applications. In the continuing battle against infectious disease, substances produced by living microbes continue to hold the center of the stage. Microorganisms are not only the workhorses that manufacture well established antibiotics, they also continue to be the source of new "magic bullets" to deal with hitherto untreatable infections, and to combat disease causing bacteria that have become resistant to the already existing armamentarium of drugs. The antimicrobial capacity of the microbial world seems inexhaustible. "
Abstract This paper examines how technological advances have changed the field of genetic engineering, with special emphasis placed on the field of food. The author gives a brief history of the field of genetic engineering and its evolution over the years. The paper discusses the importance of plants in developing food for humans and details how scientists have worked to perfect this process. The many different problems that have arisen from genetic engineering are detailed, and the author also details some suggestions that may help prevent these problems from recurring, including tighter regulations by the FDA. The author feels that if there was more government intervention then the advantages would begin to outweigh the disadvantages in this growing field.
From the Paper "Genetic engineering in plant species, meanwhile, is encouraged and has been in practice for many years. The process of modifying a plant's genetic make-up is encouraged because these kinds of study and process helps in providing new means by which people can obtain food, since plants are the primary source of food that humans consume. In order to make plants efficient in their food production, scientists have found ways by which particular plant specie will acquire a characteristic that will make the newly developed plant superior or better than its "parent" specie. The modifications commonly used in genetic engineering of plants are the increasing variety of rice grains, wherein certain plants or crops are described as immune to pests or any kind of diseases, has greater life and not susceptible to certain afflictions that destroys plant life and development, and are more adaptive to several conditions such as changes in climate, soil type, or fertilizers used."
Abstract The paper introduces the concept of Nanotechnology, and considers the usage of both proteins and nucleic acids as molecular components of Nanomachines. Their pros and cons (including strength, speed, comparison to macro-scale materials) are considered in detail, and a conclusion is drawn based on these observations.
From the Paper "Our modern technology builds on an ancient tradition. Thirty thousand years ago, chipping flint was the high technology of the day. Our ancestors grasped stones containing trillions of trillions of atoms and removed chips containing billions of trillions of atoms to make their axe heads; they made fine work with skills difficult to imitate today. They also made patterns on cave walls in France with sprayed paint, using their hands as stencils. Later they made pots by baking clay, then bronze by cooking rocks. They shaped bronze by pounding it. They made iron, then steel, and shaped it by heating, pounding, and removing chips. We now cook up pure ceramics and stronger steels, but we still shape them by pounding, chipping, and so forth. We cook up pure silicon, saw it into slices, and make patterns on its surface using tiny stencils and sprays of light. We call the products "chips" and we consider them exquisitely small, at least in comparison to axheads."
Tags: acid, assembler, bioinformatics, biotechnology, folding, nanomachine, nanotechnology, nucleic, protein
Abstract As mankind ventures beyond the Information Age, certain events will shape the next century. Philosopher and environmental activist Jeremy Rifkin, in his book "The Biotech Century: Harnessing the Gene and Remaking the World", believes that the next century will be shaped by biotechnology. This paper analyzes the ongoing debate concerning genetic research and compares Rifkin's point of view to those who believe that genetic research is more beneficial than detrimental to mankind.
From the Paper "Rifkin asserts that genetic discrimination would be a potential negative implication of the Biotech Century. To prove his idea that this could be a future dilemma, he advises that this discrimination already exists today. For an example, Rifkin refers to a database used by the Orthodox Jewish community that allows young men and women to choose partners with genotype in mind (544). He asserts that databases such as these will increase in popularity and cause discrimination. ?"There is increasing talk of government mandating genetic testing of couples seeking marriage licenses" (545). He contends that individuals with potentially unsatisfactory genetic profile will be discriminated against when trying to find a marriage partner."
This paper discusses that modern biotechnology has the potential and the promise to change radically our world within a matter of decades, especially in the areas of food production and medicine.
Abstract This paper explains that, while the developing world has become one of the fastest growing markets for genetically modified crops (GMO crops), the vast majority of biotech crops are grown in the United States and other developed countries. The author believes that biotechnology, which increases the yield of existing land, may be the only way to save our valuable wilderness in the future. The paper relates that the realm of medicine and science, far more than the realm of food, is where one would expect to see strange, chimerical advances being made as history progresses towards the age of science fiction.
Table of Contents
Why Biotechnology?
Genetic Modification in the Food Production Industries
Biotechnology and the New Revolution in Medicine
Biotechnology in Warfare
Further Speculative Uses
Profits for the Developed World
Conclusion
From the Paper "So it would be safe to say that transgenic foods obviously play a huge role in modern agricultural production and consumption practices. Those who fear for the future in terms of genetically altered foodstuffs and medicines might do well to notice that such a future is with us today. Currently, over 50 types of genetically altered plants, passed through the extensive screening procedures instituted by the American Federal Government, are being widely produced and consumed throughout the world. The reasons farmers choose to plant genetically engineered crops is related to the reasons why consumers often unknowingly prefer them. These transgenic crops are often healthier plants (requiring less herbicides, pesticides, anti-fungal sprays, and so forth) and may have more appeasing, appetizing and abundant yields. All in all, this translates into higher profit for farmers and for the corporations that sell seed stock."
Abstract This paper discusses genetic modification (GM) farming and analyzes the problems associated with the use of genetically modified food crops by a study of some recent scientific articles, which espouse this viewpoint. The paper contends that the rapid advancements in genomic science have created new possibilities in the fields of agriculture and in the treatment and management of diseases. The biotech revolution characterized by genetically engineered food products is regarded as a boon to the human society, a life-saving solution to manage the food crisis of our globe.
From the Paper "Altering specific sequences of DNA allows plants to develop resistance to pesticides, resulting in increased yield. Using genetic engineering methods such as electroporation, gene gun, gene silencing and vector mediated transfer, scientists are now able to insert a new gene or control the expression of an already present gene in a plant. [UCS] In a special report from the 'New scientist' the author discusses some of the possibilities of applying genomic science into farming practices. Using these biotech processes scientists have created disease and herbicide resistant crops promising huge increase in productivity. The result of this biotech revolution was amazing. Vitamin boosted rice, Onions without tears, potatoes enriched with proteins, Soya built resistant to pesticides, and even caffeine free coffee became a reality and bio-engineered products offered endless possibilities."
Abstract Monsanto is a leading provider of agricultural products to farmers. This paper analyzes the company and then presents a definition of GE. The paper then discusses why and how genetic engineering was introduced to Indonesia by Monsanto.
Paper Outline:
What is Monsanto?
What is GE? What is GE Seed?
What is Monsanto's Background of Internationally Traded Genetically Engineered (GE) Seed?
What are the Regulations of GE Products in USA?
What are the Regulations and Laws of GE Products in Indonesia?
What is the Jurisdiction of US Law in International Trade?
What Does it Take to put a Product on the Market in Indonesia?
What did Monsanto do to put GE seed in Indonesia?
Did Monsanto Follow the Regulations?
What was the Response in Indonesia?
What was the Outcome of the Legal Process in the USA?
What are the Implications of this Case on the International GE Trade?
Bibliography
From the Paper "In recent years, Indonesia has liberalized its trade regime and taken a number of important steps to reduce protection. Since 1996, the Indonesian Government has issued deregulation packages that have reduced overall tariff levels, simplified the tariff structure, removed restrictions, replaced non-tariff barriers with more transparent tariffs, and encouraged foreign and domestic private investment. The GOI issued a deregulation package in July 1997, which introduced additional tariff reductions."
This paper explains that stem cell research is leading scientists to investigate the possibility of treating disease with cell-based therapies, often referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine.
Abstract This paper relates that implanted stem cells used to repair or replace damaged tissues are less likely to be rejected by the body's immune system than other foreign cells. The author points out that germ line cells and adult stem cells are less versatile than embryonic stem cells, which can develop into every type of tissue found in an adult; however, the processes that control this development are at present not fully understood. The paper discusses that BioMark International, a privately funded Biotech Group, provides access to a unique method of Cord Blood Stem Cell (CBSC)processing by which CBSCs are derived from the umbilical cords from natural full term births of consenting mothers, all of whom have been tested according to standards set by the American Association of Blood Banks .
From the Paper "In May 2004, Nancy Reagan, whose husband former President Ronald Reagan was at the time suffering the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, urged the Bush administration to support embryonic stem cell research and said that too much time had been wasted discussing the issue. Although a Republican, Mrs. Reagan has been critical of the Bush administration for blocking public funding of stem cell research due to the party's ethical reservations concerning embryo research. Speaking at a fundraising dinner for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, she said she believed the research could lead to a cure for Alzheimer's disease, and "may provide our scientists with many answers that for so long have been beyond our grasp...I just don't see how we can turn our backs on this...We have lost so much time already...I just really can't bear to lose any more.""
