The state of the US biotechnology industry

Much like the biological systems it explores, the US biotechnology industry has mechanisms that allow it to change in response to its environment, Terms such as 'consolidation', 'downsizing' and 'restructuring' that were once only used in the context of larger corporations, are now being used to describe the industrial evolution of biotechnology. But exactly how have these changes affected the industry; how are the majority of biotechnology firms faring; what are the different areas of interest for R & D, and how do these sectors vary; and, how does the current structure of the industry affect the future?.