Drugs Obtained By Biotechnology Processing BIPH 4352

Course description:

This course will provide the foundational knowledge necessary to understand, recommend and counsel patients on current biotechnology-derived drugs and provide the basis for self-education needed to appreciate the biotechnology derived drugs of the future.This course will also prepare pharmacists to assist patients with self-administered protein drug medications (e.g., insulin) and in the use and interpretation of home diagnostic monoclonal antibody kits (e.g. pregnancy and ovulation test kits). The material covered in this course will provide valuable background information about drugs used in strategically aligned courses/courses, including the diabetes clinical course; dermatology; genetics; immunology; cardiovascular; neurology (multiple sclerosis); oncology; infectious diseases; and inflammatory diseases (arthritis).

Course Aims:

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
  • Explain ways in which biotech-derived drugs differ from other drugs.
  • Explain how receptors are made to look and act like antibodies (pseudo antibodies), and the limitations of this method for making other drugs.
  • Explain how and why biotechnology drugs are important to pharmacy.
  • Explain how biotechnology-derived drugs can be made more effective by structure modification.
  • Explain who, how and why erythropoietin, growth hormone and sometimes insulin are abused.

Course outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:  
  • Understand the properties of biotechnology-derived drugs and properties of small-molecule drugs; and describe how the differing properties affect drug storage, preparation, and administration methods.
  • Understand the basic tools used by scientists to clone genes and transform them into biotechnology derived drugs.
  • Demonstrate how DNA-based Aptamers work, why they are of interest, how they are made, and how they compare in effectiveness with protein-based antibodies.