Biotechnology is defined as technology based on biology, biochemistry, food science, and medicine. This broad-based definition includes any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives, thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use. For Florida, especially Tampa Bay, it supports biomedical applications that range from diagnostics, surgical implants and tools, to novel drug and gene targeted therapy applications.

 

Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States (US) as stated by the 2004 Milken Report.1 Also, according to an article in the 2007 Milken Report entitled Florida Life Sciences 2007, a competitive l Biotechife sciences economy requires a sophisticated and adaptable innovation pipeline. “Life Sciences Innovation Pipeline” is defined as the support and process infrastructures that buttress the production and creativity in a region’s life sciences industry.2 The pipeline consists of five components:

 

1) Research and development (knowledge assets)
2) Risk capital and entrepreneurial infrastructure
3) Industry infrastructure (industry’s full employment base and supports)
4) Workforce (human capital)
5) Innovation output

Report

in a 3d Flip Book
The Milken report entitled Technology and Science Index 2010: Enduring Lessons for the Intangible Economy contains a nationwide benchmark for states to assess their science and technology capabilities, along with their ecosystems for converting them into companies and high-paying jobs.3 Seventy-nine indicators were subdivided into five equally-weighted major composites:

1) Research and development inputs: The R&D capabilities that can be commercialized for future state and regional technology growth. This category includes measures such as industrial, academic, and federal R&D, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards, and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, among others.

 

2) Risk capital and entrepreneurial infrastructure: The entrepreneurial capacity and risk capital infrastructure of states determine the success rate of converting research into commercially viable technology services and products. Several measures of venture capital that capture the amount placed relative to the size of a state’s economy and recent growth are included, as well as patenting activity, business formations, and initial public offerings.

3) Human capital capacity: Human capital is the most important intangible asset of a regional or state economy. This component includes measures of stocks and flows in various areas of educational attainment. Examples include the number of bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D.s relative to a state’s population and measures of specific science, engineering, and technology degrees.

 

4) Technology and science workforce: The intensity of the technology and science workforce indicates whether states have sufficient depth of high-end technical talent on the ground. Intensity is derived by finding the percent share of employment for a particular field relative to total state employment; it indicates whether potential human capital is being combined with R&D and financial capital and is actually being transformed into a thriving economy. There are three main categories of computer and information science, life and physical science, and engineers.

 

5) Technology concentration and dynamism: This is a measure of technology outcomes. By measuring technology growth, the effectiveness of policymakers and other stakeholders in transforming regional assets into regional prosperity was assessed. This includes measures such as the percent of establishments, employment, and payrolls that are in high-tech categories. It further includes a variety of measures on growth in a number of technology categories.

2011 Inventory

Breakdown of Biotech Companies
The survey candidates were identified through direct contact with knowledgeable individuals, the FLATE and BITT data bases, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, Enterprise Florida, Tampa Chamber of Commerce, and Tampa Bay Partnership. 154 companies were identified in 7 counties in the Tampa Bay area. Categorically the list included 9 Diagnostic & Medical Laboratories, 23 Drugs & Pharmaceuticals, 50 Medical Devices & Equipment, 30 Research & Development, and 42 Other.

2011 Inventory

 

Biotechnology Industry List & Classification of Respondents

Company	City	Classification
Intezyne Technologies	Tampa	Research & Development
H.Lee Moffitt Cancer Center	Tampa	Research & Development
Lakewood Amedex	Clearwater	Research & Development
DCA Systems, Inc.	Tampa	Research & Development
Saneron CCEL	Tampa	Research & Development
Nanopharma Technologies	Tampa	Research & Development
Isoprenoids	Tampa	Research & Development
Axiom Clinical Research of Fl.	Tampa	Research & Development
SRI International	St. Petersburg	Research & Development
Acellis Biosciences	Tampa	Research & Development
Draper Laboratories	Tampa/St. Petersburg	Research & Development
Tampa Bay Research	St. Petersburg	Research & Development
USF - Student	Tampa	Research & Development
DCI Biologicals	Dunedin	Pharma
BioMedTech	Tampa	Pharma
Sirion Therapeutics	Tampa	Pharma
JMI Daniels Inc.	St. Petersburg	Pharma
Medco Health Solutions	Tampa	Pharma
Naturopathic Lab Intl.	Clearwater	Pharma
Anonymous Respondent	Anonymous	Pharma
Thar Pharmaceuticals	Tampa	Pharma
West Pharmaceuticals	St. Petersburg	Pharma
Amerx Corporation	Clearwater	Pharma
Ion Laboratories	Clearwater	Pharma
Advanced Bio-Technologies	Clearwater	Pharma
Vistapharm	Largo	Pharma
Biopsy Sciences	Clearwater	Medical Device
Corin USA	Tampa	Medical Device
Anodyne Therapy	Tampa	Medical Device
Blake Manufacturing	Tampa	Medical Device
Oscor Inc.	Palm Harbor	Medical Device
SRI Surgical	Tampa	Medical Device
Rhein Medical	Tampa	Medical Device
NDH Medical	St. Petersburg	Medical Device
Scottcare Corporation	Tampa	Medical Device
Conmed Linvatec	Clearwater	Medical Device
Bovie Medical	St. Petersburg	Medical Device
Bio-Derm Inc.	Largo	Medical Device
Ascent Medical Solutions	Lakeland	Medical Device
VLOC	New Port Richey	Medical Device
Promedica	Oldsmar	Medical Device
Micro Mo Electronics	Clearwater	Medical Device
MTS	St. Petersburg	Medical Device
Osprey Biotechnics	Sarasota	Other
Biodyne	Sarasota	Other
Nulab Inc.	Clearwater	Other
USF Physician’s Group	Tampa	Other
Life Sciences	St. Petersburg	Other
Natura Therapeutics	Tampa	Other
Claro Scientific	St. Petersburg	Other
Transgenex Nanobiotech	Tampa	Research & Development