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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
What is a biologic?A biologic is a drug or vaccine made from a living organism. A biologic can be made from proteins, sugars, DNA, cells or living tissue, for example. The source may be human, animal or a microorganism (like a bacteria or virus).You might require a biologic product, like gene or protein therapy, to treat diseases such as cancer or arthritis, especially if conventional drugs prove ineffective or if biologics offer better results. Hormones like insulin are also considered biologics. Additionally, biologics can be used as vaccines to prevent diseases, like the vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) that helps prevent cervical cancer.Generally, when people mention “biologics,” they're referring to specialized drug treatments.What's the difference between a biologic and a conventional drug?Biologics are different from conventional chemical drugs in several ways.Biologics activate certain proteins or cells in your immune system to create specific responses to targets, while many conventional systemic drugs activate your entire immune system in a more generalized manner.Chemical drugs are small molecules made up of a limited number of atoms. A chemical drug may have dozens of atoms.A biologic molecule is much larger and may have thousands of atoms, making them more complex.Because biologic drugs are so complex:The response is less predictable. They may work better for some people than others, and the response may change over time. This may require changing to another biologic.They are more difficult to make, and much more expensive. One year of treatment with a biologic may cost well over $100,000. Conventional
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