Resources
Biotechnology
The US still leads in biotech but there are positive signs from Europe and it is a priority for many Asian countries. Results are also flowing - US regulators are approving more drugs initiated by biotech groups than big pharma companies. - -
Content
Links with pharma groups blossom
The biotech industry has moved firmly into the mainstream of research into medical treatments, says Lydia Adetunji.
Europe: Scarcity of investment keeps sector in second place
The lack of pan-EU policies is one issue holding back players, says Lydia Adetunji.
Germany: Vampire bat drug is ray of light in gloom
The industry has fallen out of fashion but there are positive signs, says Lydia Adetunji.
Amgen: Global giant aims to stay nimble
When George Rathmann quit a safe job to join a corporate start-up in 1980, he could not have imagined the biomedical giant he would help create or the personal benefit that its first big product would bring.
Monoclonal antibodies: Magic bullets close in on target
Predicted sales of $30bn a year justify the sector’s long-term faith, says Malini Guha.
China: Seeds are sown but few are harvested
Genetically modified crops are the only area where the Chinese are competing at the top level, says Geoff Dyer.
Animal rights: Authorities crack down on extremists
Measures have been stepped up but violence is still hampering research, says Andrew Jack
Neglected diseases: Small groups are a solution
Regulators must also help, says Andrew Jack
Venture capital: Investors have grown more selective
European biotech companies have a far harder task than their US rivals, says Lydia Adetunji.
