Biological medicinal products are obtained from living organisms, such as cells or living tissues, that have been modified using biotechnology. As a result of this process these living products produce an active substance, like a protein, for example. The active substance produced by the biological medicinal product is then “harvested” from its cells.
These active substances are usually of a larger size and a more complex nature than those of non-biological medicinal products, but they are also more variable as they are derived from living organisms.
Why make biological medicinal products?
Biological medicinal products have been developed to treat a wide range of illnesses. Among the biological medicinal products available, you will notably find hormones, such as insulin and the growth hormone, and antibodies used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancers.