How to speak biotech: An A-Z guide – Proactive Investors Australia

Biotech is a broad church. The term can be applied toany business that manufactures or uses products with a biological base and it can be difficult to keep up with the many scientific buzzwords in this rapidly expanding field. Help is at hand.

If you thought mining terminology was a minefield, the rich vein of biotech buzzwords will have you reaching for the dictionary.

It can be difficult to keep up with biotech terms when the field - fuelled by a raft of discoveries in genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology and other sciences that fall into the category - is expanding as quickly as the universe itself.

Biotech originated with the study of living organisms, which covers a vast array of sectors including agriculture, medicine, food and industrial technology.

The term can be applied toany business that manufactures or uses products with a biological base thismayincludetextiles,wood pulp products,food, biofuels and therapeutic drugs.

Gene technology drives a large part of modern biotech, with new technologies and products being developed every year.

This by-no-means complete list is designed to helpthe average investordistinguish theiralleles from theirantigens, andnavigate the world of biotechnology.

Active immunity:A type of immunitywhere resistance to a disease is built up byeither having the disease or receiving a vaccineforit.

Allele:One of two or more versions of a gene anindividual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent. If the two alleles are the same, the individual ishomozygousfor that gene.

Antibody:A protein produced by the immune system that binds to a specific antigen.

Antigen/immunogen:Asubstance, usually a protein,that when recognised as 'foreign by the immune system will trigger an immune response, stimulating the production ofantibodies.When introduced into a vertebrate organism, an antigenis bound by the antibody or a T cell receptor.

Autologous cells:Cellsthat are taken from an individual, cultured (or stored), and, possibly, genetically manipulated before being introducedback into the original donor.

Biologics:Abiotechnology drug, such as a protein expressed by an engineered cell, or an antibody produced using recombinant DNA.

Biomanufacturing:The use of living cells to produce a biological product for examplea therapeutic proteinthat might be used in cancer treatment.

Biomarker:A measurable physiological event, such as the expression of a gene.Biomarkers are often used to indicate the presence or progression of a disease.

Biosimilar:Amedicine or biologic productachieved using a different processthan the one that originally produced theeffect, but which has a similar structure and function.

Blind trial:A trial where the participants do not know which treatment or intervention they have been allocated.

Cell:Thebuilding blocks of any living organism. Each celltypically containsgenetic material, an energy-producing system, and protein-makingability,encased in amembrane.

CAR T celltherapy:Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy uses immuneor white bloodcells, calledT cells,to fight cancer byaltering themso they can find and destroy cancer cells.

Companion diagnostic:A diagnostic used by physiciansto inform their prescribing decision.

CRADA(cooperativeresearch anddevelopmentagreement):Adeal in which two companiesagree tojoin resources to move a product concept or technology ahead big pharma will oftenpartner with emerging biotechcompaniesin a CRADA.

CRO(clinical researchorganisation):A supplier firm that offers contract servicesin testing, clinical trialsandmanufacturing.

Cytokinesis:Cytoplasmic division and other changes exclusive of the nuclear division thatoccurs throughmitosisormeiosis.

Cytology:The study of the structure and function of cells.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA):DNA is a double-stranded helix held together by bonds between pairs of nucleotidesthe molecule that encodes genetic information.

Diagnostic:A test used to identifythe presence ofa disease or disorder, or to monitor the progression of treatment.Aroutine diagnosticis a broad screening tool;a specialty diagnostic screens for a specific disease.

Di-sulphidebond:A chemical bond thatstabilisesthe three-dimensional structure of proteins, andthereforethe protein's normal function.

Endpoint:In clinical trials, an event or outcome that can be measured objectively to determine whether the intervention being studied is beneficial.Endpointsare usually identified in the study objectives.

Epigenetic modification: Chemical modification made to a nucleotide base. Epigenetic modification can change the degree to which a gene is expressed. This occurs as part of normal development but irregularities are associated with various diseases.

Fission:Asexual reproductionwhichinvolvesthe division of a single-celled organism into two newequally sizedsingle-celled individuals.

Fusion protein:A proteinthat isexpressedby a gene developed through recombinant DNA methods from parts of genes encoding two or more proteins.

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO):Anyorganism whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.

Genome:All of the genetic material in the chromosomes of a particular organism.

Genomicediting:A type of genetic engineering in which DNA is inserted, replacedor removed from agenome.

Haploid:A cell with half the usual number of chromosomes, or only one chromosome set. Sex cells are haploid.

Hapten:A small molecule which, when chemically-coupled to a protein, acts as an immunogen and stimulates the formation of antibodies not only against the two-molecule combination but also against thehapten.

Homozygous:Having two identical alleles for a particular gene.

Inducer:Asubstancethat increases the rate of enzyme synthesis, usually by blocking the action of the corresponding repressor.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors:Therapeutics that lift the inhibitions on T-cells in order to make them more likely to attack cancer cells.

INK(invariant natural killer)T cells:Cells thatrecogniselipid antigens presented bya cell-surface molecule known as CD1d. They have been shown to have important roles in many diverse immune responses.

Knockout:A technique usedto inactivate a particular gene in order to define its function.

Large-moleculedrug:Protein-basedtherapeutics these contain molecules that are too large to enter cells.

Leukocyte:Acolourlesscell in the blood, lymph and tissues that is an important component of the bodys immune system, which isalsoknown as awhite blood cell.

Lipoproteins:Agroupof serum proteins that transportfatsand cholesterol in the bloodstream. Abnormalities in lipoprotein metabolismcan feature inheart diseases.

Master cellbank:Asingle pool of cells that generally has been prepared from the selected cell clone under defined conditions.

Microbiome:An ecosystem ofmicrobes, their genomes and environmental interactions in a particular environment.

Mitosis:Process of cell reproduction whereby the daughter cells are identical in chromosome number to the parent cells.

Meiosis:Meiosis is the division of a germ cell into four cells, each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell.

Monoclonalantibody:An antibody produced by a single clone of cells, which therefore consistently binds to the same epitope of an antigen.

Mutationbreeding:Genetic change caused naturally or using mutagens. Stable mutations in genes are passed on to offspring, while unstable mutations are not.

Nanotechnology:The understanding and control of matterat dimensions between approximately 1 and 100nanometres, with myriad applications across science,energy and evendefence.

NDA:A new drug application is the mechanism by which drug companies formally propose that theUSFood and DrugAdministration (FDA) approve a new pharmaceutical for sale and marketing.

Nucleotide:A nucleotide is the basic building block of nucleic acids.RNAandDNAare polymers made of long chains of nucleotides.

Nutraceutical:Term coined by the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine in 1991referring toany substance that may be considered a food or part of a food and provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease.

Orphandrug:Drug developed for a condition that affects fewer than 200,000 individuals(in the US).

Peptide:Peptides areshort strings of amino acids, typically comprising up to 50 amino acids. Amino acids are also the building blocks of proteinsbut peptides may be easier for the body to absorb than proteins because they are smaller and moreeasilybroken down.

Pharmacodynamics:The study of theeffect ofadrugon the bodyas it relates to increasing dose.

Pharmacogenomics:Thestudy ofthe correlation between an individuals genetic make-upand their response to drug treatment. Some drugs work well in some patient populations and notothers.

Pharmacokinetics:Thestudy of the time course of drugs lifespan in the body, from absorption to distribution, metabolism and excretion.

Phase 1clinicaltrials:The first stage of the testing of a new drug or process on human participants.Investigators areinterested in learning aboutsafety,side effects and dosage levels.

Phase 2clinicaltrials:Smalltrials on people who have themedical condition under investigation. The objective is to determine whether the experimental drug provides a beneficial effect.There is usually a control group the receives a placebo alongside thetreatment group who receive the drug.

Phase 3clinicaltrials:Larger,carefully controlled long-term studies on patients to determine whether the drug will be effective in normal medical settings.During Phase 3, information is gleaned onlong-term side effects and safety.

Pre-clinical testing:This generally means testing in animals, which in medicine generally happens asa precursor toPhase 1 to 3testing.

Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase PCR:A technique used to measure the levels of gene expression of a particular gene.

Rationaldrugdesign:The development oftherapeutic drugsbased on an understanding of the underlying disease mechanism.

Receptor:A region of tissuefound on the surface of a cell that responds to a specific chemical messenger, such as a neurotransmitter, antigen or hormone.

Recombinant:Relatestoanorganism, cell, or genetic material formed by recombination.

RNA:Ribonucleic acid (RNA) isa molecule similar to DNA.Molecular biology suggests that the primary role of RNA isto convert the information stored in DNA into proteins.

RNAinterference (RNAi):A technique usedin scienceto block the expression of a particular protein.

Selective mediumnutrient:Matter thatwill support the growth of specific organisms while inhibiting the growth of others.

Sequence:The order of nucleotides in a DNA or RNA molecule, or the order of amino acids in a protein.

Signallingmolecule:A molecule that binds to a cellular receptor, whichresults in the cell starting or stopping the production of a particular protein.

Small molecules:Molecules madebychemistry into traditional pills, or by training cells to produce proteins that can be used as medications.

Spike protein:Aspike protein, used in vaccines,is aproteinthat forms a large structure known as aspikeorpeplomerprojecting from the surface of the enveloped virus. It is located on the outside of the virus sothe immune system canrecogniseit easily.

Stemcell:Stem cells are undifferentiated human cells that have the ability to self-renew and develop into many different cell typesin response to extracellular cues.

T-Cell:An immune system cellthat can be usedtorecognisespecific pathogensbecause ofthe shape of its cell-surface receptor.

Targetvalidation:Determining if targeting a particular moleculethat mightbeinvolved in a disease mechanism will be a safe and effective means of therapy.

Transgenicorganism:An organism whose genome has been altered by the incorporation of foreign DNA.

Unipotent:A moleculecapable of developing into only one type of cellor tissue.

Unblinded results:Unblinding, sometimes referred to as code-break, is the process by which the treatment details that form part of a study are made available eitheron purpose or by accident.

Upstreamprocessing:The phase of biomanufacturing consistingof establishing cell banks and seeding and scaling up cell cultures.

Viral vaccines:Vaccines consisting of live rather than deador separated parts of viruses. The virus itself is genetically engineered so that it elicits the immune response to the viral pathogen without causing the disease itself.

Vector:A vehicle for the transfer of DNA from one organism to another.

Working cell bank: A vialed collection of cells that are derived from the master cell bank.

X-chromosome:A chromosome associated with sex determination -the female has two X-chromosomes,whilethe male has one X-chromosome and oneY-chromosome.

Xenobiotic:A chemical compoundnot produced by living organisms amanufactured chemical compound.

Y-chromosome:The partner of the X-chromosome in the male of many animal species.

Zygote:A diploid cell formed by the fusion of two haploid gametes during fertilization the first cell of the neworganism.

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How to speak biotech: An A-Z guide - Proactive Investors Australia