Research Insights

The growing pipeline of biological drugs has resulted in a continuous increase in the demand for different types of cell lines. More than 650 biologics have been approved till date, and over 1,500 are under clinical development. Additionally, the loss of patent exclusivity of several biologics in the coming years is likely to be followed by the entry of numerous biosimilars as many companies compete to grab a share of already established drug markets. The importance of cell lines in other areas,

The renewable energy industry has witnessed an unprecedented growth in the last few years, owing to the increasing energy demand and concerted efforts to prevent environmental damage. Factors, such as increasing population, advances in technology, rapid industrialization in emerging markets (such as China and India), rising standard of living, and globalization are driving the global demand. In fact, the global economy is predicted to grow three folds between now and 2050; this is anticipated to

The early stages of research related to drug discovery, including the identification of a relevant target and a viable lead compound, play a crucial role in the overall success of a drug in preclinical and / or clinical studies. The process of drug discovery is extremely demanding, both in terms of capital expenses and time. Moreover, there is always a high risk of failure associated with R&D programs and, given the increasing regulatory stringency, the approval of new drugs has become signi

The rising demand of personalized medicines to provide targeted treatment options has encouraged pharmaceutical companies to shift their focus from small molecules to discovery and development of biologics, particularly antibody based therapeutics. Antibodies, because of several advantages such as high specificity and targeted approach, are increasingly becoming crucial for the treatment of a number of diseases. In fact, since 2015, more than 20 antibodies have been approved by the USFDA. The gr

It has been estimated that close to 131 million babies are born each year across the globe. Of these, approximately 7.9 million are born with birth defects. In fact, more than 7,000 genetic disorders have been identified so far and the number is rising.Genetic testing solutions that enable early detection of genetic abnormalities in fetuses and newborns are important to ensure that the person does not face complications later in life. With the emergence of innovative diagnostic and screening tec

Over the years, the biopharmaceutical market has grown into a prominent and promising segment of the overall pharmaceutical industry. Characterized by a number of blockbuster therapies (HUMIRA, RITUXAN, Lantus, Avastin, Herceptin and REMICADE) and a robust pipeline of product / therapy candidates, the market is poised for significant growth in the coming years. It is worth mentioning that much of the anticipated success of the biopharmaceutical market is dependent on new biologics, which ar

Cancer is an extremely complex disease and medical science is still struggling to figure out the reasons and factors that influence the disease origin, propagation, spread (metastasis) and relapse. In 2017, a total of 1.7 million new cancer cases are estimated to be diagnosed in the US alone; during the same time period, close to 0.6 million patients are estimated to die due to cancer. The high cancer mortality rate is primarily due to delay in detection of the disease. Therefore, in addition to

It is predicted that the global economy will increase by three-folds between now and 2050. This, in turn, is likely to result in increased energy demands.According to Enerdata Energy Statistical Yearbook 2016, electricity demand has more than doubled between 1990 and 2015 to reach 20,568 TWh. This demand is projected to grow even further; in fact, by 2035, the growth is expected to be in the range of 69% to 81%. As the global economy aims for energy security, renewable energy sources such as sol

Cancer metabolism is based on the principle that cancer cells, as compared to normal cells, have different metabolic activities in order to support their enhanced energy and anabolic requirements. The pioneering discovery by Otto Warburg in the middle of the 20th century led to the observation that metabolic activity in tumor tissues leads to a ten-fold increase in production of lactate (from glucose) under aerobic conditions. This revelation generated a significant interest and led industry sta

B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), an important biomarker of the B-cells, has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of multiple myeloma and other hematological malignancies. The antigen is universally expressed on the surface of multiple myeloma cells. The research focus shifted towards BCMA targeted therapies in 2004, when the role of BCMA was first indicated in the progression of multiple myeloma. It is the second most common type (13%) of all hematological malignancies. T

The use of live cells for therapeutic purposes can be traced back to 1968, when patients were first successfully treated with allogeneic human hematopoietic stem cell transplants. This practice has now become an integral part of clinical procedures in the space of bone marrow regeneration and organ transplantation. Cell-based therapies are an emerging segment of the overall biopharmaceutical industry. Post the approval of first cell-based therapy, Carticel, in 1997 in the US, the field has rapid

Drug delivery systems optimized to provide flexibility in dosing regimen, reduce the number of hospital visits, decrease dependence on healthcare professionals and enhance adherence to the therapeutic regimen have become the preferred choice of drug administration. The large scale adoption of prefilled syringes, the first ready-to-use injection device to be marketed, demonstrated the growing interest in the concept of such convenient drug delivery systems. In addition, several pen-injectors and

Lupus is a serious, potentially fatal, autoimmune disease that attacks healthy tissue. The different types of the disease covered in the tracker include systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), lupus nephritis and lupus vulgaris. Several drugs, including anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin and acetaminophen), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (ibuprofen, naproxen, indomethacin, nabumetone and celecoxib), corticostero

The concept of immunotherapies dates back to the 18th century; however, since inception, the field has evolved tremendously and is currently cited as one of the most rapidly growing segments of the pharmaceutical industry. Harnessing immune system components for developing therapeutic solutions has demonstrated significant clinical benefit for various diseases areas, specifically against a number of oncological indications. Immunotherapeutics have gradually gained a strong foothold in the pharma

Injectable drug delivery systems have traversed a long way from conventional syringes with vials to prefilled syringes, autoinjectors, pen injectors and needle free systems. These modern devices have become preferred devices for parenteral administration of drugs. Specifically, the demand for prefilled syringes has been rising strongly over the past several years. A growing number of healthcare facilities are now adopting this format for delivering drugs. The popularity of prefilled syringes is

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune, inflammatory disorder wherein various components of the immune system begin to attack the body’s own cells and tissues. The disease is characterized by pain and swelling in and around the joints. It is a systemic disease and is known to affect several joints at the same time or different joints at different times. Hence, it is also termed as migratory or flitting polyarthritis. It has been estimated that RA affects over 1% of the world population

Since the discovery of penicillin in 1948, antibiotics have emerged as a crucial class of pharmacological interventions responsible for treating several infectious conditions. In addition, antibiotics are also used for prophylactic purposes in patients who have undergone surgery, or immunocompromised patients (cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy). However, the inappropriate use of antibiotics, both in healthcare and food production, has rapidly accelerated an evolutionary response of antibio

The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is one of the key protein degradation pathway involved in the control of protein homeostasis and turnover that mediates the regulation of several cellular processes. The UPS consists of two separate consecutive steps, ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Due to its involvement in multiple metabolic and regulatory functions, the UPS is considered as a vital part of the cellular machinery controlling protein homeostasis. Targeting specific components of

The discovery of the second messengers, cAMP and cGMP, in 1958 led to a deeper understanding of the signal transduction processes behind physiological stimulation and response. Later, the identification of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) and the establishment of their role in diseases led to the development of drugs targeting this class of enzymes. PDEs are a complex superfamily of metallophosphohydrolase enzymes that regulate the activity of second messengers. The superfamily consists of 11 different

Gene therapy has emerged as a promising treatment option for various diseases (primarily the ones that currently have no cure) including cancers, inherited disorders and some viral infections. Gene therapies and genetically modified therapies involve the introduction of therapeutic DNA (gene of interest) into the patient’s body. There have been a number of successful trials in several systems showing the efficient transfer and expression of a variety of human genes into target cells. This