Chronic diseases such as asthma, arthritis, cancer, heart disease and diabetes are ongoing, generally incurable illnesses. Collectively, chronic diseases are the number one cause of death and disability in the U.S. With a better understanding of the molecular basis of health and disease, biotech scientists are developing improved methods for diagnosing, treating and preventing chronic disease.
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., and the number of new cases continues to rise by epidemic proportions. Diabetes patients use insulin, a biotech therapy, to control their critically important glucose levels. Insulin use can also reduce the risk of diabetes complications like eye, kidney and nerve disease by 40 percent.
Scientists have been studying the cone snail since the 1970s to better understand our nervous system. Through this research, scientists were able to isolate the peptides in the venom of the cone snail, A synthetic version of one of those peptides, manufactured by Elan under the brand name PRIALT®, was approved by the FDA in 2004 as a treatment for adults with severe chronic pain.