Different product types.
A clearer sourcing brief.

Pharmaceuticals / small-molecule drugs

Conventional medicines, commonly made through chemical synthesis.

Examples Paracetamol, metformin, atorvastatin; many antibiotics.

Biological products / biologics

A broad family of medicines derived from living systems or biological sources.

Examples Insulin, erythropoietin, filgrastim, monoclonal antibodies.

Biosimilars

Biological medicines highly similar to an approved reference biological medicine.

Examples Biosimilar adalimumab, trastuzumab, bevacizumab, rituximab.

Plasma-derived products

Finished medicinal products manufactured from human plasma.

Examples Human albumin, IVIG, plasma-derived factors VIII and IX, anti-D immunoglobulin.

Vaccines

Products that help the immune system develop protection against disease.

Examples Influenza, hepatitis B, HPV, pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccines.

Blood & blood components

Whole blood or components supplied directly for transfusion; distinct from manufactured plasma-derived medicines.

Examples Red blood cells, platelets, fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate.

Radiopharmaceuticals

Products containing radionuclides for diagnostic or therapeutic use.

Examples Iodine-131, lutetium-177 and technetium-99m products.

Traditional / herbal medicines

Medicinal products derived from plants or traditional systems.

Examples Herbal extracts and Ayurvedic medicines.

Medical gases

Gases supplied for medicinal use.

Examples Medical oxygen, nitrous oxide, medical air.

Diagnostic pharmaceutical products

Products administered to support diagnostic procedures.

Examples Contrast agents and diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals.

Allergenic products

Products used in allergy diagnosis or allergen immunotherapy.

Examples Allergen extracts and sublingual immunotherapy products.

Monoclonal antibodies

Target-specific biological medicines; also relevant to areas such as oncology and immunology.

Examples Pembrolizumab, trastuzumab, rituximab, dupilumab.

Recombinant proteins

Therapeutic proteins produced using recombinant DNA technology.

Examples Recombinant insulin, erythropoietin, G-CSF, recombinant factor VIII.

Peptides

Medicines composed of short amino-acid chains, made synthetically or biologically.

Examples Semaglutide, liraglutide, octreotide.

Oligonucleotide / RNA medicines

Medicines based on nucleic acids, including RNA-directed or RNA-based approaches.

Examples siRNA medicines, antisense oligonucleotides, mRNA products.

Cell therapy products

Products in which living cells are used for a therapeutic purpose.

Examples CAR-T products and specific stem-cell therapy products.

Gene therapy products

Products designed to introduce, replace or modify genetic material for a therapeutic purpose.

Examples AAV-based gene therapies and gene-editing products.

Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs)

An EU regulatory umbrella for gene therapies, somatic cell therapies and tissue-engineered products.

Examples Certain CAR-T products, gene therapies and engineered tissues.

Oncology products

A therapeutic grouping that spans conventional drugs and biological medicines.

Examples Chemotherapy, targeted therapies and immunotherapies.

Hormones & endocrine products

Natural, synthetic or recombinant hormone-related medicines.

Examples Insulin, growth hormone, levothyroxine, gonadotropins.