January 29, 2007 -- It is generally assumed that biological substances are intrinsically less toxic than small molecule drugs. Biologics sail through approvals quicker, and they get to market sooner than small molecules do. But now biologics are losing their innocence and very quickly so. As more people start using these drugs, they enter the mainstream of medicine. It may well have been the rather restricted use so far that has lulled everyone into thinking biologics are safer. We look at the latest problems, which occured in drugs from Amgen and Genentech...
