Blog

Biotech in Action: 3 Industries Being Transformed

What is biotechnology and why is it transforming entire industries?

What if we told you that the next wave of revolutionary cures, food innovations, and climate change mitigations is already here, driven by the power of biotechnology?

The term biotechnology describes the combination of biology and technology used to develop technologies and products that help improve human life and planetary health.

We’ve been taking advantage of the biological processes of microorganisms for thousands of years. Nonetheless, due to the latest breakthroughs in technology and AI, traditional processes in the main sectors of biotech: healthcare, agriculture, and food tech are being reshaped, and new frontiers for innovation are being created.

Below, we explore three transformative cases with real-world examples in these three main industries.

How is biotechnology changing healthcare today?

In 2023, the global gene therapy market reached a value of $8.75 billion (BioSpace, 2024), highlighting the significant impact of biotechnology on the healthcare sector. The rapid advancements in biotech are revolutionizing the industry, leading to life-saving products and treatments for both common and rare diseases.

Today, AI and machine learning are accelerating discoveries, improving success rates, and shortening development timelines.

One notable breakthrough came in 2024 when Vertex’s CASGEVY received FDA approval. This CRISPR/Cas9-edited cell therapy offers a potentially curative, one-time treatment for transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia, a life-threatening disease previously managed with a lifetime of transfusions. By targeting the genetic root of the condition, this therapy has the potential to transform patient outcomes and may support in reducing clinical and economic burdens. Vertex’s achievement marks a pivotal shift from chronic care to promising genomic cures.

What role does biotech play in sustainable agriculture?

Biotech in agriculture focuses on genetically enhancing or modifying crops to achieve higher resistance to drought, pests, unfavorable climates, and diseases. These crops reduce the need for chemical inputs, increase yields, and are key to climate-resilient food systems. Also, biotech improvements allow production to become cheaper and more manageable.

Animal biotechnology also plays a role within agricultural biotech by applying these technologies to animals to improve food production or enhance their resilience, though this will not be the focus of this section.

An example of this is the development of HB4 soybeans in Argentina, the world’s first drought-tolerant transgenic soybean. This advancement allows farming in dry regions, which also results in greater use of available field areas. HB4 soy uses a sunflower gene to help plants pause their growth during drought and resume once conditions improve, preserving yield.

How is biotechnology shaping the future of food?

Today, nearly 75 percent of processed foods on U.S. supermarket shelves contain at least one genetically engineered ingredient (Center for Food Safety). These are commonly known as GM foods, products that include GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) in some of their ingredients.

Biotechnology in foodtech enables the development of novel food products, improved nutrition, or as previously mentioned, food with genetically modified ingredients. By allowing precise gene control, biotech helps achieve specific, enhanced outcomes in food production, and many of the foods we eat daily are a result of this innovation.

The future of foodtech is big and already arriving. One clear demonstration of this is one of our partners’ recent milestones. Last year, SuperMeat achieved the production of cultivated chicken meat at $11.79 per pound, aligning with the cost of premium pasture-raised chicken in the U.S. This advancement marks a pivotal step toward making lab-grown meat commercially viable and accessible. By cultivating chicken directly from animal cells, SuperMeat offers a sustainable and ethical alternative to traditional poultry farming, which could potentially reduce environmental impact and address food security concerns.

Conclusion

These examples serve as evidence that biotechnology is bringing to reality many once futuristic concepts. We believe that the near future will bring a new wave of developments that will continue changing the world and our relationship with nature in the various areas where biotechnology can provide solutions.

We believe in the transformative potential of biotechnology, specifically in biomanufacturing. Currently, humanity generates as much material as all living beings combined. We could grow more than half of the things we need, and this is where Stämm comes in. We know that 60% of this material demand could be met through biomanufacturing, and that’s why we’re developing the technology necessary to achieve it. Biotechnology is no longer a futuristic concept, it’s a current driver of disruption across industries. In healthcare, it’s curing diseases once thought untreatable. In agriculture, it’s fostering climate resilience. In foodtech, it’s reshaping the very essence of what and how we eat. The coming years will likely see these advances go from breakthrough to mainstream

Bibliography

    Related posts