Research and Markets: Animal Biotechnology - Currently Estimated to be $2.8 Billion out of the Total Animal Healthcare Market of $18 Billion

DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 21, 2004--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com) has announced the addition of Animal Biotechnology - Technologies, Markets and Companies to their offering.

This report describes and evaluates animal biotechnology and its application in veterinary medicine and pharmaceuticals as well as improvement in food production. Knowledge of animal genetics is important in the application of biotechnology to manage genetic disorders and improve animal breeding. Genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics are also being applied to animal biotechnology.

Transgenic technologies are used for improving milk production and the meat in farm animals as well as for creating models of human diseases. Transgenic animals are used for the production of proteins for human medical use. Biotechnology is applied to facilitate xenotransplantation from animals to humans. Genetic engineering is done in farm animals and nuclear transfer technology has become an important and preferred method for cloning animals.

Biotechnology has potential applications in the management of several animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The most important biotechnology-based products consist of vaccines, particularly genetically engineered or DNA vaccines. Gene therapy for diseases of pet animals is a fast developing area because many of the technologies used in clinical trials humans were developed in animals and many of the diseases of cats and dogs are similar to those in humans.

Molecular diagnosis is assuming an important place in veterinary practice. Polymerase chain reaction and its modifications are considered to be important. Fluorescent in situ hybridization and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays are also widely used. Newer biochip-based technologies and biosensors are also finding their way in veterinary diagnostics.

Biotechnology products are approved by the Center for Veterinary Medicine of the FDA. Regulatory issues relevant to animal biotechnology are described.

Approximately 72 companies have been identified to be involved in animal biotechnology and are profiled in the report. These are a mix of animal healthcare companies and biotechnology companies.Information is given about the research activities of 9 veterinary institutes. Important collaborations in this area are shown.

Share of biotechnology-based products and services is currently estimated to be $2.8 billion out of the total animal healthcare market of $18 billion. This is expected to grow to $5.1 billion by the year 2005 in a total animal healthcare market of $23 billion.

Companies included in this report include: Advanced BioNutrition Corp, Advanced Cell Technology Inc, AgResearch Limited, Alpharma Inc, Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation, AQUA Bounty Farms Inc, Artus Gesellschaft fur molekularbiologische, ARUP Laboratories, AviGenics Inc, Bayer Animal Health Division, BioAgri Corporation, Bioniche Life Sciences Inc, Biopure Corporation, BioProtein Technologies, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chronix Biomedical, CSL Limited, Cyagra Inc, Elanco Animal Health, Embrex Inc, Fort Dodge Animal Health, Frontier Beef Systems LLC, GeneSeek Inc, GeneThera Inc, Genetic Savings & Clone Inc, Genetic Solutions Pty Ltd, Genetic Technologies Corporation Ltd, Genetraks Pty Ltd, Genmark, GTC Biotherapeutics Inc, Hematech LLC, Heska Corporation, IDEXX Laboratories Inc, Infigen Inc, Intervet International BV, ioGenetics, LG Life Science, Merial Limited, Milkhaus Veterinary Products Inc, Monsanto, Neogen Corporation,Nexia Biotechnologies, Nextran Inc, Pfizer Animal Health, Pharmacia Animal Health, Pharming Group NV, Pierce Biotechnology Inc, Polydex Pharmaceuticals Ltd, PPL Therapeutics plc, Prion Developmental Laboratories Inc, ProBio International, ProdiGene Inc, ProLinia Inc, Protein Sciences Corporation, Pyxis Genomics Inc, Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited, Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation, Synbiotics Corporation, Taconic Farms Inc, Thorn BioScience LLC, Trans Ova Genetics Inc, TranXenoGen Inc, VCA Antech Inc, VectoGen, Vical Incorporated, Viragen Inc, Virbac SA, XY Inc.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c1345