Dhaka, 17 February 2012

Move for becoming the frontiers of Medical Biotechnology

in Bangladesh

Why Medical Biotechnology

in Bangladesh

Key Note Speech

IT & BT•Two of the most popular

words currently talked in our world

• IT → Information Technology

•BT → Biotechnology•Development experts

believe that the power & influence of BT will exceed that of IT by manifolds

IT BT

Just in one decade or so !Our life will be significantly influenced by Biotechnology

The trend has been set already

The trend…

What is Biotechnology?

What is Biotechnology?

Body

OrganCell

ChromosomeDNA

ProteinDNA dictates protein synthesis

What is Gene?

Gene is the part of DNA which dictates protein synthesis for specific characteristics

Biotechnology applies technique of Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is a technique for genetic modification through removal, addition or replacement of gene for adding, altering or hiding characteristics in living things

Method ofGenetic Engineering

Simple Method

Interchangeable between species

1 2

3

4 5

The way how BT works

Production of Golden rice

By Gene Engineering

Replacement therapy

Insulin

Cloning?

Therapeutic cloning

Human Cloning

BT is cheaperBT is cheaper•In conventional method, drug development requires 10-12 yrs

•Begins with animal trial•Ends on trial on human volunteers

•Trial is not organ or tissue specific→more side effects

•Requires huge initial investment

•Patent rights of bigger companies burden smaller industries

Pharmaceutical Pharmaceutical sectorsectorProfitable Medical

Biotechnology Sector

FDA already approved over 1000 GM drugs•Insulin•Interferon•Anti-cancer drugs•Growth hormone•Blood products

Future of stem cell research

Human stem cell-based trial made it possible to discover

•Anti-tumor drugs•Cardiac drugs•Artificial blood products

Source of stem cells

What we are seeing now?

• Many BT drugs• BT Medical devices• BT Vaccines• BT Diagnostic reagents

Agriculture & Livestock• BT crops, viz., soybean oil• May be BT fish• Designer meat

Biomass forBiogas & Electricity

Breakthrough in vaccine development

• It is possible to know exact genetic nature of antigen (microorganism or disease agent)

• This helps in extraction of purified specific antigen from bacterial/viral protein or alternate source

• No need to use live attenuated or killed virus/bacteria to produce vaccines

GM crops, viz. banana, maize & potato may act as edible vaccines

In only 80 hectors of land, hepatitis B vaccine to immunize all the children in the world would be possible

Elimination of: • costly cold chain &• hazards of vaccine-related infections

Individualized medicine

We will also see –Every body’s gene is differentEvery body does not respond to same drug equally

Benefits:

• Less mistakes in doses• Lower drug costs• Failed drug in one population will

work on another population

We will also see –

Pre- & post-implant genetic diagnosis

Growing popularity of genetic diagnosis & therapy

11 cousins removed stomach[AP; 27 May 2006]

• Carriers of CDH1 gene

• A rare mutation• Carriers have

70% chance of developing gastric cancer

We will also see –

Faster growth of bioinformatics

We will also see –

Remarkable growth of nano-medicine

• India developed Shanvac-B from herbs with 4-years of research

• Shanvac-B is a hepatitis B vaccine

• Previous imports costs: $6 per dose

• Now sells in India: 50 cents• Received WHO certification• UNICEF ordered for whole

world

We will also see –

Revisit to indigenous medicine

Research

• Ample opportunity to conduct BT research

• Commercially available products:– Stem cell lines for drug development, in-

vitro fertilization & cell culture– Recombinant virus or bacteria for testing

drug resistance– Plasmids for producing recombinant DNA

Do you know why the global food price was high than any time before?

Bio-energyfrom

Spinach

Bio-fuels

Medico-legal fact finding

• Determination of heredity

• Criminal tracing

• Safety of human health & nutrition

• Safety about environment

• Loss of natural environment

Debate about Biotechnology

BT debate…

Patent

The BasmatiPatent Debate

Intellectual property rights?

• Ethics• Religion• Personal privacy• Social

discrimination

BT debate…

Embryo cloning!How much to allow?

Abuse?

Why country can not ignore BT?

• BT has enough debates • Yet almost all countries

consider it as one of the most important drivers for economic growth

• BT attracted substantial investment• Mostly in MBT sector• This dominance will continue

Global BT Revenue

BT in India (Target 2010)

Target for employment generation: 1 million

BT in India (current)

BT in India…

• Investment for BT since 1985: .......... US$ 1b• Active BT companies: ....................... ~800• Industries on advanced BT: .............. 50%• BT Industries devoted to:

– Human health applications: ..................... 60%– Agriculture: ................................................ 10%– Industrial, bioinformatics, genomics: ..... 30%

• People better accept bio-pharmaceuticals than BT crops, fisheries or livestock

• It may have following reasons:– Doctors prescribe medicines– In illness, the side effects become secondary– Belief about rigorous regulatory conditions for

drug approval– People can choose from alternate food

Why MBT goes on top of BT?

New reality in industrialized countries

Migration of opportunities of BT

Migration of opportunities of BT...

• Country should build good environment• If not, there will be brain drain• Expansion of quality BT education, research &

students’ intake is need of time

• The benefit will be:– Enough skilled manpower to work in home– Earning of remittances by skilled manpower export

Brain-drain vs. export of human resources

Our Bio-Safety Concerns

Biotech foods, drugs &other products

1. Import

2. Production

3. Export

Concerns• Consumption

• Wide-scale HandlingChronic exposure

• Environmental pollution through natural exposure & unsafe disposal

The To-Dos

1. Examine Health & Nutritional safety

2. Examine Environmental safety

3. Create public awareness

4. Build & Enforce Surveillance & Regulatory measures

5. Explore opportunity of application of biotechnology

Component of Regulatory System

• Permission for BT research• License for import of BT drug or diagnostic

reagent• License for Biotech food• License for Biotech lab• BT related Disease surveillance• Certificate for MBT degree or diploma

Expectations from you

• Understand & feel• Speak & write• Influence policy• Participate

– Production of diagnostic & research kits, vaccines

– Research– Genetic diagnosis & therapy

• Study further• Think to take as career

Thank you

DN

A D

AN

CE