Biologics
Biologics is one of the most exciting areas of therapeutic medicine and may represent about one in every four newly commercialized drugs in the future. This revolution in biology-based drug discovery and development is a natural complement to the small molecule, chemistry-based heritage here at Bristol-Myers Squibb. In fact, our evolving focus on biologics and our traditional pharmaceutical expertise serve as the key strategic platform for our transformation to a next-generation BioPharma company.
Biologics is not new to drug discovery nor is it new to Bristol-Myers Squibb. For the past 20 years, our scientists have increasingly made use of a wide range of innovative technologies to discover and analyze new biologic therapies. These molecular biology-based approaches, including bioinformatics, protein engineering, genomics and biomedical imaging, allow us to address the numerous disease targets that cannot be easily modulated by more traditional pharmaceuticals. “The field of biologics is especially exciting today because we are applying new science and technology to the development of important new medicines based on what were just general concepts and ideas only a relatively short time ago,” says David Smolin, Ph.D., vice president, Protein Therapeutics Development.
Bristol-Myers Squibb has built its biologics capabilities through a combination of in-house discovery and development, and select licensing and acquisitions. Our first acquisition in this area was of Oncogen in 1986, which eventually led to the discovery and development of ORENCIA® (abatacept) and belatacept by Bristol-Myers Squibb scientists. In 2001 we established the licensing agreement with ImClone, which gave us ERBITUX® (cetuximab), our first biologic to the market. In 2004 we announced an agreement with Medarex Inc. to develop and commecialize ipilimumab. This was followed by an alliance with Domantis in December 2005, focusing on the creation of drugs based on domain antibodies. More recently, in October 2007, the company acquired Adnexus Therapeutics, developer of a new class of biologics called Adnectins.™
As a result of these efforts, Bristol-Myers Squibb is already working with the next-generation targeted biologics. Adnectins are an entirely new class of biologics derived from a well-characterized protein, fibronectin, that is prevalent throughout the human body. Domain antibodies are the smallest functional binding units of antibodies and so combine the therapeutic benefits of traditional, small molecule drugs with those of fully human antibodies. These next-generation biologic products offer several potential advantages over traditional therapies, including improvements in safety, efficacy and ease of manufacturing.
We will continue to build our biologics capabilities through strategic technology acquisitions, targeted licensing opportunities and through our own rigorous discovery and development programs. In addition, we are currently constructing a dedicated biologics production facility in Devens, Massachusetts.
We are seeking highly motivated people with a real passion for drug discovery and development to join the Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D team. We are specifically looking for candidates who possess a background(s) in biochemistry, molecular biology and protein biochemistry, or biology, with a proven ability to apply technical skills in a multidisciplinary science setting.