That our nation has developed many, if not most, of the world’s modern life-giving, lifesaving medical treatments is a shiny fiber that runs through the strong fabric of the American Dream. The astounding evolution of U.S. pharmaceutical development has progressed from early plant-based remedies, to basic, chemically synthesized “small molecule” drugs, to the exciting promise of tomorrow’s cures with new therapies such as CAR-T and gene therapy.

Along the way, drug development was revolutionized when scientists harnessed the power of large molecule, living cells —genetically engineering them to create new “biologic” medicines. These treatments and their lower-cost counterparts, called “biosimilars,” offer new promise to patients with a host of debilitating illnesses, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, to name a few.