Emerging Technologies: Stem Cells, Genes and Monoclonal Antibodies - Biologics Market Research

Emerging Technologies: Stem Cells, Genes and Monoclonal Antibodies
Centient Consulting, Inc
Jan 2006
Pages: 19
Price: 268.00
This report examines the three technological advances that are rapidly opening broad new avenues for drug development and therapeutics: monoclonal antibodies, gene manipulation and stem cells. The underlying potential and challenges for each technology from a scientific, market and political perspective are explored. Over 60 public and private companies actively pursuing one or more of these technologies are identified and discussed, providing an in-depth view of the changing landscape of drug discovery and development.
Reasons to Purchase
- Analyze the three technologies changing the face of drug discovery and development
- Identify the companies leveraging these technologies to develop significant new drugs
- Understand the competitive landscape encompassing over 60 companies
- Examine the scientific, market and political factors driving the success or failure of these technologies and companies
- Identify potential collaborative partners and/or investment opportunities
Target Audience
- Business development execs/managers seeking partnership opportunities
- Marketing and senior execs/managers wishing to understand the competitive landscape
- Research and development execs/managers wanting to know the current state-of-the-art
- Venture capitalists and fund managers seeking investments
- Analysts and journalists researching the emerging therapeutics markets
- Others seeking to understand the driving factors and market dynamics
Report Highlights
Three technologies promise to shape the future of drug discovery and development: monoclonal antibodies, gene manipulation and stem cells. One of these technologies has already provided multiple blockbuster drugs, while the others are poised to change the face of medicine as we know it.
Behind monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) lies a 30-year-old technology, but they are now taking the clinic by storm. Several monoclonal antibodies are blockbuster drugs, bringing in well over $1 billion in sales per year. Most are focused on cancer, but rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, transplant rejection and multiple sclerosis are also targeted. There are potentially thousands more waiting to be discovered, making this an extremely fertile ground for development. The newly updated 2nd edition of this report now includes a review of the 2005 performance of 14 monoclonal antibody companies including Genentech, Imclone, Abgenix, Biogen Idec and others.
Gene manipulation covers both gene therapy and gene silencing. Gene therapy is a simple concept that has been around for four decades: replace a defective gene with a new one. But it is very difficult to implement and has faced huge hurdles including a total moratorium on gene therapy trials called by the FDA. But given its high potential for curative therapies and blockbuster drugs, gene therapy is making a comeback with over 600 clinical protocols submitted to the FDA. Companies identified and discussed include Genzyme, GenVec,
Like gene therapy, gene silencing is a simple concept that is difficult to implement. Several different techniques are explored that attack the sequence or expression of a gene at different points in the life cycle. Included are knockouts, antisense, ribozymes, aptamers and RNAi. The promise of gene silencing is that it offers the potential for improved efficacy with fewer side-effects over more conventional therapeutics.
Stem cells represent one of the most promising new technologies. Unfortunately, it's also one of the most controversial. The key practical issues surrounding stem cell applications are sources, handling, survival, IP, and potential side-effects. The source issue is the main ethical controversy, centered around human embryonic stem cells, first isolated in December 1998. There are now 18 companies working on various forms of stem cell technology, many outside of the U.S.