In Germany, newly approved drugs are increasingly being produced with the help of genetic engineering. Last year, the share of biopharmaceuticals reached a new high of 59 percent.
More and more drugs newly approved in Germany are produced by genetic engineering. Last year, the share of biopharmaceuticals in new registrations was 59 percent, higher than ever before. In 2021 it was still 46 percent, according to the association of research-based pharmaceutical companies vfa.
The share of these drugs in the total market is now 32.9 percent. The so-called biopharmaceuticals are drugs whose active ingredients are produced with the help of genetically modified organisms. “The results underline the outstanding relevance of biotechnology for health care in Germany,” explained vfa President Han Steutel.
growth in particular cancer drugs
In the past almost 20 years, the role of biotechnology in the development of new drugs has increased significantly. While in 2005 there were still 256 clinical development candidates from biotechnological processes, at the end of last year the figure was 672, more than twice as many.
The number of employees in the biotech industry increased by almost nine percent to around 50,000 in 2022. Sales of biopharmaceuticals in pharmacies and in the hospital market increased by 10.5 percent to 17.8 billion euros. Above all, the business with cancer drugs has grown.