What are Biomedicals?

At the most basic level, biomedicals – also commonly called biologics – are therapeutic agents derived from living things. These biomedicals often come in the form of molecularly complex drugs and vaccines created from living organisms and used to diagnose or treat a variety of diseases, such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and HIV/AIDS. They differ from traditional pharmaceutical drugs in the manufacturing process as well as the physical composition. As the picture below shows, the biologic (left) is larger and more complex than the pharmaceutical drug (right):

(http://jnjbtw.com)

Technically speaking, according to the FDA, a biomedical material or a biologic is: any therapeutic serum, toxin, antitoxin, vaccine, virus, blood, blood component or derivative, allergenic product, or analogous product, or derivatives applicable to the prevention, treatment, or cure of injuries or disease of humans.

However, merely coming from a natural source does not make a product a biologic. These products must work through a specific immune process.

Often biosimilars, or follow-on biologics, are thought of as generic versions of biomedical drugs, but this is not accurate. Because biologics are comprised of living materials and are complex molecules, an imitation will never be the same. Whereas non-biologic drugs can be replicated down to the molecular level, biologics are unique and another manufacturer can never make the exact same drug.

Biotechnology

Another aspect of biomedicals is the way they are produced and how they can later be used. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) defines biotechnology as harnessesing cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve lives and the health of our planet. Simple biotech processes have been used for thousands of years, such as the production of cheese, and today, biotechnology continues to yield groundbreaking products and technologies that can be used to combat diseases, reduce environmental impact, and more.

In terms of medical usage, biotechnology powers hundreds of medical diagnostic tests that ensure a safe blood supply by detecting the early presence of HIV and other conditions. More examples of the areas of life that biotechnology has improved or made possible:

• Coffee filters: filters are bleached using a biotech process that reduces the amount of chlorine and energy needed in manufacturing
• Milk: Lactose can be removed through a biotech process to make milk an option for all people
• Home pregnancy tests: a basic biologic diagnostic test for home usage
• DNA fingerprinting: improved forensic testing through biotech processes
• In the realm of agriculture, biotech helps farmers to increase farm yields, decrease pesticide usage, improve water and soil quality. Biotechnology allows farms to produce more healthy foods for consumers.
• Hazardous waste clean-up is made more efficient by harnessing pollution-eating microbes.