Biopharmaceutics

Biopharmaceutics is the field of study concerning biopharmaceuticals, medical drugs (see pharmacology) produced using biotechnology. They include proteins (including antibodies), nucleic acids (DNA, RNA or antisense oligonucleotides) and living microorganisms like virus and bacteria where the virulence of viruses and bacteria is reduced by the process of attenuation, they can be used for therapeutic or in vivo diagnostic purposes, and are produced by means other than direct extraction from a native (non-engineered) biological source.