History of Biotechnology
- 2001: FDA approves Gleevec® (imatinib), a gene-targeted drug for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. Gleevec is the first gene-targeted drug to receive FDA approval.
- 2002: EPA approves the first transgenic rootworm-resistant corn.
- 2002: The banteng, an endangered species, is cloned for the first time.
- 2003: China grants the world’s first regulatory approval of a gene therapy product, Gendicine (Shenzhen SiBiono GenTech), which delivers the p53 gene as a therapy for squamous cell head and neck cancer.
- 2003: The Human Genome Project completes sequencing of the human genome.
- 2004: UN Food and Agriculture Organization endorses biotech crops, stating biotechnology is a complementary tool to traditional farming methods that can help poor farmers and consumers in developing nations.
- 2004: FDA approves the first antiangiogenic drug for cancer, Avastin®.
- 2005: The Energy Policy Act is passed and signed into law, authorizing numerous incentives for bioethanol development.
- 2006: FDA approves the recombinant vaccine Gardasil®, the first vaccine developed against human papillomavirus (HPV), an infection implicated in cervical and throat cancers, and the first preventative cancer vaccine.
- 2006: USDA grantsDow AgroSciences the first regulatory approval for a plant-made vaccine.
- 2007: FDA approves the H5N1 vaccine, the first vaccine approved for avian flu.
- 2009: Global biotech crop acreage reaches 330 million acres.
- 2009: FDA approves the first genetically engineered animal for production of a recombinant form of human antithrombin.
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