Reviewing Bioindustry’s Economic Year in 2013

This month, managing editor Maribel Rios discusses the financial state of the bioindustry with Howard Levine, founder, president, and principal consultant of BioProcess Technology Consultants. The industry is facing new opportunities for sales growth not only in the United States and Europe, but also in emerging markets such as those in Brazil, Russia, India, and China (the “BRIC” nations). Some of that growth comes from an increasing pipeline of biosimilars driven by the patent expiration of some major blockbuster biotherapies. Increasingly, manufacturers are leveraging cost-reducing strategies such as the implementation of single-use technologies and modular and/or flexible facility designs. Levine talks about the major economic factors that have affected the industry in recent years and shares his projections about what the industry can look forward to in the next year and beyond.