Comments on: Is “genetics . . . a boondoggle”? http://madisonian.net/2005/10/19/is-genetics-a-boondoggle/ a blog about law, tech, culture, and related things Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:59:42 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: MT http://madisonian.net/2005/10/19/is-genetics-a-boondoggle/comment-page-1/#comment-20342 MT Thu, 20 Oct 2005 18:35:21 +0000 http://madisonian.net/?p=383#comment-20342 In a way it's not surprising if pharma has been distracted from the task of putting out new products from by the huge investment demanded by the gold rush to exploit the new genomic info and new profiling technology. This is a business strategy with a long time horizon. Genomics is as much of a boondoggle as computer science. The only way it could fail to pay off in the end is if the meteor get us first. In a way it’s not surprising if pharma has been distracted from the task of putting out new products from by the huge investment demanded by the gold rush to exploit the new genomic info and new profiling technology. This is a business strategy with a long time horizon. Genomics is as much of a boondoggle as computer science. The only way it could fail to pay off in the end is if the meteor get us first.

]]> By: Mike Madison http://madisonian.net/2005/10/19/is-genetics-a-boondoggle/comment-page-1/#comment-20182 Mike Madison Thu, 20 Oct 2005 00:49:53 +0000 http://madisonian.net/?p=383#comment-20182 It's not just synthetic organic chemistry that's hard; it's also the much broader problem of commercializing biomedical and biochemical research. For a couple of decades, the venture community has had enormous success with an investment/return model based on IT and software, and it has repeatedly tried to apply that model to biotech. Genetics-based research is only the most recent "disappointment"; there have been many others over the years. It’s not just synthetic organic chemistry that’s hard; it’s also the much broader problem of commercializing biomedical and biochemical research. For a couple of decades, the venture community has had enormous success with an investment/return model based on IT and software, and it has repeatedly tried to apply that model to biotech. Genetics-based research is only the most recent “disappointment”; there have been many others over the years.

]]> By: CE Petit http://madisonian.net/2005/10/19/is-genetics-a-boondoggle/comment-page-1/#comment-20098 CE Petit Wed, 19 Oct 2005 18:43:31 +0000 http://madisonian.net/?p=383#comment-20098 There are two reasons other than markets that make Allen's criterion inappropriate. (1) Synthetic organic chemistry is hard. And expensive. And time-consuming. It is particularly difficult when one must not only synthesize the target compound, but purify it to medical standards, store it, embed it in an appropriate carrier matrix, and ensure that it does not decay before use. In short, just because I can use ball-and-sticks models to show the exact shape of the active portion of my target compound does not mean that the rest of the process is a snap. (2) Cross-checking against side effects takes time, effort, etc. too. Even for a genetically based disorder, one cannot just magically wave a chemical wand and make everything "normal." Very few genetically based disorders have no cascade effects. There are two reasons other than markets that make Allen’s criterion inappropriate.

(1) Synthetic organic chemistry is hard. And expensive. And time-consuming. It is particularly difficult when one must not only synthesize the target compound, but purify it to medical standards, store it, embed it in an appropriate carrier matrix, and ensure that it does not decay before use. In short, just because I can use ball-and-sticks models to show the exact shape of the active portion of my target compound does not mean that the rest of the process is a snap.

(2) Cross-checking against side effects takes time, effort, etc. too. Even for a genetically based disorder, one cannot just magically wave a chemical wand and make everything “normal.” Very few genetically based disorders have no cascade effects.

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