Why biotech is a national security issue

A federal commission explains why biotech is a national security issue—plus, a recap of last week’s Davos and what BIO members said at the event. (575 words, 2 minutes, 52 seconds)

Why U.S. biotech leadership a national security issue

Continued U.S. leadership in the upcoming “transformative biotechnology revolution” is essential for our economy and national security, says a federal commission on biotechnology.

The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology was created by Congress to research opportunities and potential risks of biotech and recommend appropriate Defense Department responses. It’s chaired by Dr. Jason Kelly, CEO of BIO member Ginkgo Bioworks.

The key findings: The commission’s recent Interim Report highlights biotech’s potential to transform health care, feed the world, and boost the economy with biomanufacturing. It also outlines the risks of losing U.S. biotech leadership.

The benefits of biotech mentioned include medical advances like cell and gene therapies, gene editing, and mRNA vaccines; improved food security through more nutritious, higher-yield, pest-resilient crops; climate change mitigation; and improved production through synbio.

But there are risks of misuse: The report warns of the potential for bad actors to create “novel weaponry” using biotech, encouraging strong biotech capabilities to counter these threats.

U.S. leadership is not guaranteed. China “intends to win the age of biology” through major investment and “shrewd policy decisions,” the report warns.

The recommendation: Federal oversight of biotechnology must be streamlined to facilitate development, and investment must be encouraged, including through federal support.

What’s next: The commission’s final report is expected later this year.

Davos highlights climate, health, and food challenges – and biotech solutions

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos last week highlighted biotech’s potential contributions to global challenges of climate, health, and food (with several BIO members participating). 

A few key takeaways:

1. The climate crisis is a health crisis.
A record year of extreme weather has endangered the health and livelihoods of more than one-third of the global population. Climate change threatens $12.5 trillion in economic losses and $1.1 trillion in extra costs by 2050, finds a new report.

What they’re saying: “We have to stop talking about (climate crisis) measuring it in degrees Celsius and talk about it in lives,” Bill Anderson, CEO of BIO member Bayer, said on a panel.

2. Health equity requires global action. 
WEF’s Global Health Equity Network launched a Zero Health Gaps Pledge, in which organizations (including several BIO members) agree to identify health inequities and work toward solving them.

3. We must invest in food.
Food systems contributed 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, 80% of deforestation and biodiversity loss, and 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, finds a report by the WEF’s 100 Million Farmers Initiative. Transforming food systems requires $300-$350 billion in investment annually through 2030. 

Underinvestment in food is shocking, Bayer’s Anderson and Chris Abbott, CEO of BIO member Pivot Bio, said during a panel. Resources need to be shifted to food, and regulatory frameworks must be modernized, said Abbott. 

Read more in Bio.News.

More Agriculture & Environment News: 

Bloomberg: Americans’ most pressing climate change questions, answered
“Researchers surveyed over 1,000 people in the US about the questions they’d like to ask climate experts. More and more want to learn about how to solve the problem.”

President Biden’s Tuesday: Attending a campaign event at George Mason University’s SciTech Campus outside Manassas, VA.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The Senate Judiciary Intellectual Property Subcommittee will hold a hearing, The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act – Restoring Clarity, Certainty, and Predictability to the U.S. Patent System.