Biotechnology –
Biotechnology is the use of "biology to harness cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve lives and the health of our planet." The biotechnology industry is a highly competitive global industry with substantial national security and economic implications. The U.S. is currently the global leader in biotechnology, but China, Russia, and other countries are also devoting significant resources to overtake the U.S.'s dominant position.
Sustaining biotechnology innovation is integral to economic and national security. The triumph of the U.S.'s biotechnology industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, producing two highly effective vaccines using entirely new technology with messenger RNA, and in record time, shows that the U.S.'s competitive edge in biotechnology remains largely intact. In an era of Great Power Competition, where nations are vying for power and influence, economic and national security requires a holistic, balanced, and sustainable strategy. The U.S. must set conditions for success to remain the leader and mature an ethical and innovative biotechnology ecosystem, fortifying all instruments of national power.
As the above definition implies, biotechnology is a set of multiple industries, all deriving from the use of biological molecules to create products, services, and systems. This paper focuses on the human health technologies industry segment as it currently represents 56% of the global biotechnology industry. Biotechnology innovation relies on more than just funding. It requires a thriving ecosystem of industry, academia, skilled workers, partnerships, culture, and policy to drive innovation. While the current U.S. ecosystem demonstrates strengths and has delivered essential benefits, the future biotechnology ecosystem must nonetheless be able to respond more quickly than it did with COVID-19. Imagine a virus as deadly as Ebola spreading as fast as COVID-19. The global community must rely on advances in biotechnology to respond to other threats that do not respect borders, such as climate change, population displacement, and aging populations where diseases bring high costs for prevention and treatment.
This paper assesses the strategic environment and evaluates strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to identify gaps compared to near-peer competitors. It considers Chinese and Russian strategies and determines where the U.S. needs to be in the future. Finally, it suggests policy recommendations and strategic investments to close any gaps to keep the U.S. innovating and leading in biotechnology. The U.S. must proactively invest in human capital government enablement, and other foundational components of the biotechnology ecosystem to secure its competitive advantage and remain ahead of its rivals in biotechnology. The right investments in all three components will drive the U.S. biotechnology ecosystem toward game-changing technologies and innovations. The recommendations contained in this paper will benefit the entire economy and the DoD in particular.
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