There are more and more biological drugs available on the market, ready to cure many different diseases: this is what emerges from the Report on biotechnologies in the pharmaceutical sector in Italy - 2014, produced by Farmindustria. There are 110 biotechnological medicines in Italy distributed in 12 therapeutic areas: 35 are for infectious diseases, 23 for oncological diseases, 21 for metabolic, hepatic and endocrine diseases. Of all these drugs, 21 have obtained orphan drug designation, while about a dozen are under study, some almost ready to enter the market. These are molecules for the treatment of: ovarian cancer; neurotrophic keratitis; retinitis pigmentosa; melanoma; Crohn's disease; multiple sclerosis; familial hypercholesterolaemia; hyperlipidemia; acute lymphoblastic leukemia; neuropathic cancer pain.
Thursday, June 19, 2014 – Pharmacist33
Biotech pharmaceuticals, +2.4% investments in research
In Italy, the biotechnology sector is essentially identified with the drug sector: there are 176 companies, with investments in R&D of over 1 billion euros (+2.4% compared to 2013), a turnover that is close to 6 billion (+0.8%) and 4,658 employees in R&D (-2.7%). This is what emerges from the Report on biotechnologies in the pharmaceutical sector in Italy 2014, produced by Ernst&Young and Farmindustria, and presented in Rome. Of the 176 companies present in our country, 51 are drug companies.
They represent the majority of the sector with a turnover of 5.465 billion euros (92% of the total), investments in R&D equal to 917 million euros (85% of the total), 3,498 workers employed in R&D (75% of the total); biotech (including, for example, companies dedicated exclusively to biotechnology).
