Biotech Industry Gearing Up For More Science, Less Hype

But it's still unclear which new approaches in human therapeutics will pay off big; cancer and neuroscience are among the contenders Despite the enormous amount of money invested in research and development of biotechnology-derived human therapeutics in the past two decades or so, biotech industry participants and observers say the future is still unclear. Only 21 biotech drugs have been released so far, and many of those are bioengineered versions of substances that have been known and used

| 6 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
6:00
Share

Only 21 biotech drugs have been released so far, and many of those are bioengineered versions of substances that have been known and used for a long time, such as insulin and human growth hormone. During this time the industry has experienced spectacular rises and falls, both scientifically and financially, often fueled by hype and unrealistic expectations.

Currently in the pipeline, however, is the next generation of biotech drugs. And these drugs will take advantage of the latest discoveries of how cells work, targeting previously uncharacterized receptors on the surface of cells or moving directly into the nucleus to turn specific genes off or on.

But much of this next generation is either still in the laboratory or just beginning clinical trials. And considerable debate emerges among biotech observers in government and industry concerning which areas of research will, from an entrepreneurial standpoint, be most profitably pursued.

Research activities in ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to digital editions of The Scientist, as well as TS Digest, feature stories, more than 35 years of archives, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here

Meet the Author

  • Franklin Hoke

    This person does not yet have a bio.

Published In

Share
Image of small blue creatures called Nergals. Some have hearts above their heads, which signify friendship. There is one Nergal who is sneezing and losing health, which is denoted by minus one signs floating around it.
June 2025, Issue 1

Nergal Networks: Where Friendship Meets Infection

A citizen science game explores how social choices and networks can influence how an illness moves through a population.

View this Issue
Unraveling Complex Biology with Advanced Multiomics Technology

Unraveling Complex Biology with Five-Dimensional Multiomics

Element Bioscience Logo
Resurrecting Plant Defense Mechanisms to Avoid Crop Pathogens

Resurrecting Plant Defense Mechanisms to Avoid Crop Pathogens

Twist Bio 
The Scientist Placeholder Image

Seeing and Sorting with Confidence

BD
The Scientist Placeholder Image

Streamlining Microbial Quality Control Testing

MicroQuant™ by ATCC logo

Products

waters-logo

How Alderley Analytical are Delivering eXtreme Robustness in Bioanalysis

Nuclera’s eProtein Discovery

Nuclera and Cytiva collaborate to accelerate characterization of proteins for drug development

Sapio Sciences_Logo

Sapio Sciences Appoints Gordon McCall as Chief Operating Officer to Drive Global Operational Excellence