What are biopharmaceuticals?

While a pharmaceuticals is a small molecule typically a result of chemical synthesis, biopharmaceuticals are large ‘biological‘ molecules that are manufactured in living organisms such as cells or bacteria.

Biopharmaceuticals are usually developed in both academic and industrial laboratories with their commercialisation funded by venture capital firms (for academic spin-out or start-ups) or drug companies. Prior to sale, they are assessed by regulatory agencies such as the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States or the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to ensure their safety and efficacy.  Biopharmaceuticals fall under the general heading of biotech, but their applications are medical.