Abstract
Since the approval of recombinant human insulin in 1982 as the first therapeutic protein produced by means of recombinant DNA technology, the biopharmaceutical sector has grown considerably. In this chapter, the issue of the nomenclature of biotechnological products for human health is discussed and the different classes of biopharmaceutical products are described. Because recombinant therapeutic proteins (including monoclonal antibodies) represent the most mature class of biopharmaceutical products, with the largest number of approved products, the expression systems and manufacturing technologies used to obtain these products are discussed. The new era of off-patent biosimilars, as well as the wide range of new products under development, including cell therapies and gene therapies, are currently challenging the traditional conservatism of this industry and pushing manufacturing technology toward continuous bioprocessing. Thus, processes with increased productivity, improved product and process flexibility, and reduced costs can be anticipated in the future.