A special report on India's biotech scenario: Advancement in biopharmaceutical and health care sectors

India's biotechnology industry has been growing towards new heights in conjunction with the recent economic outburst. The country has the potential to revolutionize biopharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. In this review, we have highlighted the achievements of India's biotechnology industry, especially biopharmaceutical and healthcare sectors that include therapeutics, diagnostics, stem cell research, human healthcare related bioinformatics and animal health care. We have also described regulatory mechanisms involved in India's health care biotech including manpower development.     

Thermozymes: biotechnology and structure–function relationships

Recent findings on the biochemical and molecular features of the following thermozymes are presented, based on their biotechnological use: α-amylase and amylopullulanase, used in starch processing; glucose isomerase, used in sweetener production; alcohol dehydrogenase, used in chemical synthesis; and alkaline phosphatase, used in diagnostics. The corresponding genes and recombinant proteins have been characterized in terms of sequence similarities, specific activities, thermophilicity, and unfolding kinetics. Site-directed and nested deletion mutagenesis were used to understand structure–function relationships. All these thermozymes display higher stability and activity than their counterparts currently used in the biotechnology industry. Received: January 22, 1998 / Accepted: February 16, 1998     

试论生物经济成长(GREW)战略

生命科学与生物技术的发展推动了"生物经济"概念的形成与生物经济时代的来临,进而导致农业、健康医疗、环保、工业制造等产业的生产与消费方式正在发生深刻变革。分别从生物经济对未来农业、健康医疗、环保及制造业的影响进行分析,提出了生物经济成长(GREW)战略。作为一个战略体系,GREW战略包括相互交叉、相互依存与影响的四个子战略:新型农业(Green biotech based)战略、健康医疗(Red biotech based)战略、绿色环保(Grey or Environmental biotech based)战略,以及绿色制造业(White biotech based)战略。GREW战略的及时提出与逐步形成,对于生物产业发展规划及政策制定具有高度前瞻性意义和指导作用。     

Indian entrepreneurship in biotechnology comes of age

Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing, knowledge-driven industries in India and is expected to play a key role in shaping India’s rapidly developing economy. Since its inception in 1986 the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has been guiding to foster growth of Indian biotechnology with a range of initiatives. Indian biotechnology industry registered over 3.0 billion USD revenue generation in 2009–10, which constitutes about 2 % share of the global biotechnology market. More than 300 companies are engaged in different biotechnology sectors in India, majority of which are clustered in western and southern regions. Biopharmaceuticals is the largest biotechnology sector in India with about 62 % market share. Bioservices ranked second due to the upward trend in a range of service oriented research activities. Bioagriculture recorded highest growth in 2009–10 and is dominated by insect resistant transgenic cotton. Bioindustrial, which deals with production of enzymes for different industrial uses, is the smallest biotechnology sector in India with 6 % revenue share.     

德国：全方位推进生物科技及产业发展

德国是欧洲第一经济大国,对生物科技一贯十分重视,希望生物技术产业成为继汽车、机械制造之后的第三大产业。促进基础研究和产业化开发;注重发挥自身的优势抢占生命科学前沿制高点;实施一系列科技计划全方位推进生物科技创新;着力后备人才培养;依托区域优势和凸显区域特色,多层面促进生物技术产业发展;政府十分重视工业生物技术的发展,大力扶持创新型生物技术企业。     

microRNAs and the mammary gland: A new understanding of gene expression

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified in cells as well as in exosomes in biological fluids such as milk. In mammary gland, most of the miRNAs studied have functions related to immunity and show alterations in their pattern of expression during lactation. In mastitis, the inflammatory response caused by Streptococcus uberis alters the expression of miRNAs that may regulate the innate immune system. These small RNAs are stable at room temperature and are resistant to repeated freeze/thaw cycles, acidic conditions and degradation by RNAse, making them resistant to industrial procedures. These properties mean that miRNAs could have multiple applications in veterinary medicine and biotechnology. Indeed, lactoglobulin-free milk has been produced in transgenic cows expressing specific miRNAs. Although plant and animal miRNAs have undergone independent evolutionary adaptation recent studies have demonstrated a cross-kingdom passage in which rice miRNA was isolated from human serum. This finding raises questions about the possible effect that miRNAs present in foods consumed by humans could have on human gene regulation. Further studies are needed before applying miRNA biotechnology to the milk industry. New discoveries and a greater knowledge of gene expression will lead to a better understanding of the role of miRNAs in physiology, nutrition and evolution.     

The greening of biotechnology: the growth of the US biotechnology industry

The growth and advancement of biotechnology worldwide has been the focus of many studies, and at the heart of this advancement has been a new industry of small biotechnology firms in the United States. Since the early 1970s more than 300 small companies have been founded in the United States to work with the new technologies of genetic engineering, monoclonal antibody production, and in related areas. In addition, many major corporations in the United States have sought entry into biotechnology. Hundreds of new companies have been founded to interact with the biotechnology firms and large corporations, supplying reagents, equipment, fermentation expertise and serving a variety of other ancillary functions. Nowhere else in the world has a biotechnology industry been initiated to such a large degree. Today, the average US biotechnology firm is six to seven years old. The current state of the US biotechnology industry, historical perspectives, major trends and some future outlooks will be described below.     

Novel easily accessible glucosidase inhibitors: 4-hydroxy-5-alkoxy-1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acids

Glycosidases are very important enzymes involved in a variety of biochemical processes with a special importance to biotechnology, food industry, and pharmacology. Novel structurally simple inhibitors derived from cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acids were synthesized and tested against several fungal glycosidases from Aspergillus oryzae and Penicilliumcanescens. The presence of at least two carboxylic groups and one hydroxy group was essential for efficient inhibition. Significant selective inhibition was observed for α- and β-glucosidases, the magnitude of which depended on the configuration of substituents; inhibition increased for β-glucosidase by lengthening the alkoxy group of the inhibitor.     

Development of health biotechnology in developing countries: Can private-sector players be the prime movers?

Health biotechnology has rapidly become vital in helping healthcare systems meet the needs of the poor in developing countries. This key industry also generates revenue and creates employment opportunities in these countries. To successfully develop biotechnology industries in developing nations, it is critical to understand and improve the system of health innovation, as well as the role of each innovative sector and the linkages between the sectors. Countries' science and technology capacities can be strengthened only if there are non-linear linkages and strong interrelations among players throughout the innovation process; these relationships generate and transfer knowledge related to commercialization of the innovative health products. The private sector is one of the main actors in healthcare innovation, contributing significantly to the development of health biotechnology via knowledge, expertise, resources and relationships to translate basic research and development into new commercial products and innovative processes. The role of the private sector has been increasingly recognized and emphasized by governments, agencies and international organizations. Many partnerships between the public and private sector have been established to leverage the potential of the private sector to produce more affordable healthcare products. Several developing countries that have been actively involved in health biotechnology are becoming the main players in this industry. The aim of this paper is to discuss the role of the private sector in health biotechnology development and to study its impact on health and economic growth through case studies in South Korea, India and Brazil. The paper also discussed the approaches by which the private sector can improve the health and economic status of the poor.     

Research and application of biotechnology in textile industries in China

Textile industry is a conventional and pillar industry in China, which possesses a considerable proportion of the national economy. In recent years, special attention has been paid to the application of biotechnology in textile industries in China. As an interdiscipline between natural science and engineering science, textile biotechnology has much effect on China's textile industry. This paper summarizes current developments and highlights those areas where biotechnology might play an increasingly important role in China's textile industry as follows:

(1) Development of new types of textile fibers and polymers, such as Bt cotton naturally colored cotton, colored silk and silk gene-sequence, spider silk non-wovens, chitin fiber and chitosan derivatives, etc.

(2) Application of enzyme technology in textile wet processing, such as alkaline pectinase, PVA-degrading enzyme, cutinase and catalase used for cotton preparation, neutral cellulase for denim washing, transglutaminase for wool modification, protease for silk degumming as well as pectinase and hemicellulases for retting of bast fibers.

(3) Treatment of textile effluents with biotechnology.

Environmental and nuclear influences on microalgal chloroplast gene expression

Microalgal chloroplasts, such as those of the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, are emerging as a new platform to produce recombinant proteins, including industrial enzymes, diagnostics, as well as animal and human therapeutics. Improving transgene expression and final recombinant protein yields, at laboratory and industrial scales, require optimization of both environmental and cellular factors. Most studies on C. reinhardtii have focused on optimization of cellular factors. Here, we review the regulatory influences of environmental factors, including light (cycle time, intensity, and quality), carbon source (CO₂ and organic), and temperature. In particular, we summarize their influence via the redox state, cis-elements, and trans-factors on biomass and recombinant protein production to support the advancement of emerging large-scale light-driven biotechnology applications.     

加入WTO后我国生物技术产业发展战略

加入WTO后,我国生物技术产业将面临严峻的机遇与挑战,如何面对这一实际情况及采取哪些措施将直接影响目前还处于发展初期的我国生物技术产业,并对我国21世纪生物技术产业的可持续发展具有重要的意义,本文论述了我国生物技术产业发展现状,存在问题及国外发达国家生物技术产业发展现状,政策及法规,提出了加入WTO后适合我国国情的生物技术产业发展战略的建议。     

我国生物技术产业发展政策建议

生物技术已成为我国参与国际竞争、争夺未来高技术制高点的一个重要领域。近年来,我国政府通过制定实施一系列发展计划、管理法规和政策措施,正在努力为生物技术的发展创造良好环境。但就产业而言,目前还有不少环节急待进一步改善,需要配套更有力的产业政策。主要分析了我国生物技术产业发展的现实政策环境,针对产业在创新体系、投融资体系、研发服务、法制监管等方面存在的薄弱环节,提出了若干推进政策建议 。     

Economic issues for the UK biotechnology sector

This paper examines the economic prospects for the biotechnology industry, focusing on the UK position. I discuss some economic issues relating to the structure of the biotechnology industry and examine whether these factors can account for the relative success of the biotechnology sector in the UK compared to other European countries. I emphasize the importance of the science base, pharmaceutical companies and capital markets in giving the UK an advantage. Looking ahead I argue that prospects are good for the global growth of the industry due to supply and demand side factors. The UK is in a leading position in Europe but faces significant dangers, especially from the public towards biotechnology.     

捷克生物科技及产业发展现状与特点

近年来,捷克加快发展高科技、低能耗、低原料消耗的高效能产业,并把生物科技及产业作为重点。捷克建立了多部门协同的生物科技促进和监管体系,着力营造良好的软环境,正在形成以布拉格、布鲁诺、南莫拉维亚为核心的生物技术产业集群。捷克积极参与欧盟框架计划,把国际合作作为推进生物科技跨越发展的着力点,充分发挥地理位置优势和人才资源优势吸引国外投资,力图成为中欧地区最发达的研发外包中心。     

Biotechnology and sustainability: the role of transatlantic cooperation in research and innovation

Life sciences and biotechnology are increasingly providing sustainable solutions in a wide range of areas from medicine to industry, agriculture and the environment. The United States and Europe are the two largest regions in which the revolution in life sciences and biotechnology has been taking place. Established in 1990, the EC-US Task Force on Biotechnology Research has provided a fruitful forum for the exchange of information, for the discussion of ideas and for the joint sponsoring of research activities between the US and the European Union.     

Bacteriophages and biotechnology: vaccines, gene therapy and antibacterials

In recent years it has been recognized that bacteriophages have several potential applications in the modern biotechnology industry: they have been proposed as delivery vehicles for protein and DNA vaccines; as gene therapy delivery vehicles; as alternatives to antibiotics; for the detection of pathogenic bacteria; and as tools for screening libraries of proteins, peptides or antibodies. This diversity, and the ease of their manipulation and production, means that they have potential uses in research, therapeutics and manufacturing in both the biotechnology and medical fields. It is hoped that the wide range of scientists, clinicians and biotechnologists currently researching or putting phages to practical use are able to pool their knowledge and expertise and thereby accelerate progress towards further development in this exciting field of biotechnology.     

Cell and tissue based technologies for environmental detection and medical diagnostics.

We are in the midst of a biotechnology revolution. Significant advances have been made in sensors and diagnostics based on interrogation of biomolecular arrays. The surface conjugation of nucleic acids, antibodies and proteins onto 'chip' formats has resulted in new classes of high information content devices. This compilation of articles presents the emergence of a new class of such devices based on the ability to interrogate cellular or tissue microarrays. Unlike nucleic acid or antibody-based approaches, these systems enable the interrogation of more complex biological responses, and offer the potential to gather higher information content from measuring physiologic, metabolic, or network processes and responses. This endeavor presents many technological challenges but offers the promise of collecting information more closely correlated to human response and as such represents the opportunity to fabricate new sensors and diagnostics for environmental detection and medical diagnostics.     

Analysing biotechnology's traumas

Some of the most important factors that played a role in provoking the upheavals which overwhelmed the agri-foods biotechnology industry in Europe at the end of the 20th century are described and analysed, focusing especially on the impact of the introduction of a statutory labelling scheme that could be enforced. The implications of those upheavals for the development of biotechnology, for consumers and public policy makers, and corporate strategists, nationally and globally are outlined. The contention is that the trauma which overwhelmed the agri-food biotechnology sector in Europe had profound roots and rich implications which extend to the whole biotechnology sector and beyond.     

Genomics: shifts in metaphorical landscape between 2000 and 2003

Modern biotechnology has been characterized by being surrounded by scientific and public debate and by interest conflicts. An early Danish debate and regulation has been criticized for inhibiting or retarding development and thus growth. Though much regulation and debate have been transferred to the European arena, their role and extension are still an issue. In this paper, the often anticipated innovation-inhibiting effects of regulation are questioned by giving an account of regulations and debates in Denmark. An account which includes the shifting positions of industry, the research community, environmental groups, regulators and other interest groups. The paper indicates that the regulatory measures, introduced as a response to public and interest group critique, have generally reduced industrial uncertainty and promoted industrial Danish biotechnology development. It is further found that regulation and debate changed the rate and direction of new biotechnology development, contributing to technology acceptance, without however ensuring it. The paper thus questions the caricatured assumptions in economics and industrial policy that regulation restrict techno-economic growth. The paper further states regulation and controversies to have contributed actively to the specific technology development, but also states the difficulties in setting radically different technology development agendas.