The world today is largely focused on biologics-based treatment for many diseases as it is a very specific way to treat any disease and also happens to have the least side effects compared to conventional medicine system. Biologics are generally huge molecules derived from living cells and used in the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of diseases. Biologic medicines include therapeutic proteins, DNA vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and fusion proteins. The aim of this review is to learn how biologics came into existence and how beneficial they are to the mankind as compared to the traditional medicines. This study also helps to understand how biologics are useful as safe alternative in treatment of some major diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s disease and Psoriasis. It sheds light on the chronology which led to the development of biologics starting from the natural product era to their current status. Some biologics are desperately awaited for treatment of diseases so as to either reduce the number of side effects or as totally new drugs against some orphan diseases. These drugs include gene therapy products, biosimilars, oncolytic virus therapy, etc. Although biologics are mainly associated with immune reactions, optimum modifications will definitely serve the purpose of getting agents acting on specific targets. Biologics seem to have the potential to rule the pharmaceutical industry and market.
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Dr. (Mrs.) Nutan Rao designed the study and managed the work done. Ms. Riddhi Kini and Ms. Drashti Maniyar drafted the manuscript, and Ms. Rishika Amin aided the process.
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Rao, N., Kini, R., Maniyar, D. et al. Journey from Serendipity to Biologics. Pharm Chem J 55, 1329–1337 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11094-022-02579-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11094-022-02579-1