Description
Book SynopsisEverything you need to know about the most important trend in the history of the world Within most people''s lifetimes, the developments in the biotechnology sector will allow us to live increasingly long and healthy lives, as well as provide us with technological innovations that will transform the way we live. But these innovations offer more than just hope for a better life, but hope for better returns too. Financial returns of incredible magnitude await savvy investors and businesspeople who can see the massive changes on the horizon. This book details these fast-moving trends and innovations and offers extensive advice on how to profit from them in business and investing.
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ix
Introduction xi
Chapter One Transformational Technologies 1
Futurists and Scientists Look into the Future 1
The Convergence of Technology and Biology 13
Chapter Two The Evolution of Medicine and the Emergence of Biopharma 23
From Atoms to Cells to Living Organisms 24
The History of the Pharmaceutical Industry 36
Chapter Three The Drug Industry – Reinventing the Model 55
Big Pharma, Biopharma 59
Drug Patents 73
The Path to Riches: FDA Approval 79
In Summary 84
Chapter Four Curing Disease – Promising Prospects in the Main Therapeutic Areas 87
Cancer – Step by Step, Being Beaten 89
Infectious Diseases: New Antibiotics, Hepatitis and HIV Drugs Make for a Fast-growing Sector 107
Obesity and its Evil Sisters: Type 2 Diabetes and Kidney Disease 118
The Heart of the Matter – Biggest Killer on the Prowl 128
Fading into the Night – Neurodegeneration, Rheumatology and Multiple Sclerosis 132
Respiratory Disease – New Drugs: A Breath of Fresh Air 143
Rare Diseases and Rare Profits 146
Drugs for Pain and for the Central Nervous System 150
The Best of the Rest – Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Gastrointestinal and Bone Disease 153
Chapter Five Turning Back the Clock – Stem Cells, Genomics, Gene Therapy and Regeneration 157
Stem Cells 166
Gene Therapy and Nano Medicine 170
Organ Growth in and out of the Body 178
Chapter Six Demographic Changes 181
The Working Age Labour Pool in the World is Shrinking 191
Can Immigration Solve the Labour Shortage in the Developed World? 193
The Social Impact of an Ageing Population 195
The United States is the Best Positioned Developed Country 196
Support Ratios Have Been Plummeting 197
China’s Grey Future 198
What Can Governments Do To Avoid Their Country Becoming a Nursing Home? 200
Chapter Seven Bioscience’s Disruptive Influences 205
Insurance and Healthcare 206
Real Estate 210
Politics 211
Geopolitics 211
Retail Goods and Services 212
The Food Industry 213
The Investment Industry 214
The Law 215
Shortage of Young People in Developed Nations 217
Chapter Eight Robotics and Nanotechnology 219
Robotics 219
Surgical Procedures/Surgical Assistance 220
Medical Monitor/Nurse 223
Housemaid/Domestic Assistance 228
Companion/Pet 229
Nanotechnology 232
Chapter Nine Lifestyle Maintenance 235
It’s a Fact: Obesity Shortens Your Life 235
Extending Life Expectancy 237
Common Traits of People who Live the Longest 239
A “Cure” to Ageing 240
Telomeres – Our Biological Clock 244
Chapter Ten Investment in Biopharma – Chasing Those Money Fountains 247
Conservative Portfolio 279
Balanced Portfolio 280
Speculative Portfolio 281
Company Overviews 282
Summary 305
Glossary 315
Appendix – Key Financial Charts of Big Pharma 325
References 327
Bibliography 329
Index 331
