The winning SHOT

Getting a shot to prevent or treat a disease is arguably the most cost-effective form of medicine of healthcare. Vaccine research and development is costly and time-consuming, while the profit potential can be marginal. Bringing a new vaccine from the research and development stage through clinical...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Modern Healthcare 2005-11, Vol.35 (46), p.52
Main Author: Kirchheimer, Barbara
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antigens
Bacteria
Biotechnology
Cervical cancer
Disease
Genetic engineering
Health care industry
Hepatitis
Human papillomavirus
Immune system
Influenza
Manufacturers
Manufacturing
Medical research
Pandemics
R&D
Research & development
Rotavirus
Vaccines
Viruses
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Summary:Getting a shot to prevent or treat a disease is arguably the most cost-effective form of medicine of healthcare. Vaccine research and development is costly and time-consuming, while the profit potential can be marginal. Bringing a new vaccine from the research and development stage through clinical trials can typically cost $500 million. Federal regulatory burdens are understandably high, while demand for the product is low -- unlike pills, which a patient takes throughout the course of a disease, vaccines are often needed only once or several times in a lifetime. Conjugate vaccines offer promising technology. These are vaccines in which proteins that are recognized by the immune system are linked to the molecules that coat disease-causing bacteria to initiate an immune response. Hospitals are also getting in on vaccine action. Baylor Health Care formed its own biotech company to develop and produce patient-specific cancer vaccines, beginning with one to treat melanoma patients.
ISSN:0160-7480
1944-7647