Shortcuts? Insulin, other medicines developed faster with genetic engineering

pharmaceuticals plants

Given that its accomplishments include the domestication of plants and animals, biotechnology is practically synonymous with civilization itself…Over the last couple of centuries, a more systematic approach has been devised.

An explosion of discoveries in the 19th and 20th centuries ushered in the modern era of biotechnology…Learning about everything from enzymes to hormones to vitamins meant medical researchers could deliberately design drugs to target specific problems. The new information also showed them how to go about producing these medications by tapping into natural biological processes.

The main steps of biotech medication development consist of determining the biologic source of a desired medication, mass-producing the source, extracting and purifying the medication, and preparing the medication for use.

The introduction of genetic engineering has altered the first step in creating biotech medicine. Instead of simply identifying a biological entity that produces the desired substance, an organism is literally created for this purpose.

For more sophisticated pharmaceuticals, engineered animal cells are used instead of bacteria.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: How are Biotechnology Medicines Made?

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.noReviewsLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}

Related Articles

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Does glyphosate—the world's most heavily-used herbicide—pose serious harm to humans? Is it carcinogenic? Those issues are of both legal and ...

Most Popular

Picture1
Hiroshima at 81: America’s new nuclear bomb, a buried Iranian target, and a question no one wants to ask
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 05_50_04 PM
Fear, science, and the law: If talc powder is unlikely to cause cancer and J&J was winning in court, why did it pay more than $5.5 billion to settle?
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 10_14_27 PM
After muzzling RFK, Jr. over autism-vaccine conspiracy theories, Trump defies aides to push scares again
Screenshot 2026-07-29 at 1.03
Two food fads that have some merit: Chia seeds in almost everything and protein added to water
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 06_26_01 PM 2
Facts & Fallacies podcast: Organic food myths make a comeback on Instagram, with Dr. Kevin Folta
ChatGPT-Image-Mar-10-2026-01_39_01-PM
Viewpoint—“Miracle molecule” debunked: Why acemannan supplements don’t work
Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-1.09.25-PM
Anti-vaccine myths rattle health care
Screenshot 2026-07-28 at 3.43
Fat cat? GLP-1 weight loss drugs for animals are on the horizon
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 10_31_48 PM
Bowing to Congressional pressure, Kennedy reverses himself and releases $600 million that helps developing countries buy and distribute vaccines
Screenshot 2026-07-28 at 3.22
Hidden hunger: Climate change is speeding up the decline of important nutrients in our food
Screenshot 2026-07-22 at 1.38
Viewpoint: Are the U.S. and Europe headed towards a repudiation of agricultural biotechnology red tape?
organic scaled
Facts & Fallacies podcast: Organic food cuts pesticide exposure? A response to Dr. Rhonda Patrick
ChatGPT-Image-Jul-10-2026-09_42_12-AM-1
Peptides, patient autonomy, and the limits of medical freedom
Screenshot 2026-07-27 at 6.15
No test, no tennis: Women’s Tennis Association becomes first major female sports league to require genetic sex testing
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.