( species. Growing value of products ...)Clear rules needed to govern deep sea bioprospecting: UNU

Growing value of products from marine biotechnology

The world's oceans host 32 of the 34 known phyla on Earth, the report says. Species diversity is known to be as high as 1,000 per square meter in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Significantly, the ratio of potentially useful natural compounds is higher in marine than terrestrial organisms. There is, therefore, a higher probability of commercial success with marine-sourced material. The odds of success are long, however; just one to two percent of pre-clinical candidates become commercial products.

Nevertheless, the report says all major pharmaceutical firms, including Merck, Lilly, Pfizer, Hoffman-Laroche and Bristol-Myers Squibb, have marine biology departments, and cites the following estimates:

* Worldwide sales in 2000 of marine biotechnology-related products: US$ 100 billion;
* Annual profits from a compound derived from a sea sponge to treat herpes: US$ 50 million to US$ 100 million;
* Value of anti-cancer agents from marine organisms: US$ 1 billion a year.

Marine-derived drugs can be used as antioxidant, anti-fungal, anti-HIV, antibiotic, anti-cancer, anti- tuberculosis and anti-malaria. Applications for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis and impotence are also under consideration.

Other compounds have anti-inflammatory properties and one is used as an anti-irritant in cosmetics.

A hormone extracted from salmon has been found effective in preventing osteoporosis while a salmon-derived sulfate is an antidote to the anticoagulant heparin.

Sponges are particularly targeted as potential sources of pharmaceutical products. One of the most effective treatments for leukemia is based on derivatives of a sponge while a sponge-derived steroid compound completed phase one US trials as an asthma drug in 2000. Other research in progress includes treatments for breast and ovarian cancer.

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Source:United Nations University