Proceedings of the International scientific and practical conference ―Science, Technology and Culture in the Era of Globalization‖ (December 24-26, 2025) / Publisher website: www.naukainfo.com. – Geneva, Switzerland, 2026. – 234 p.

7 Over the past three decades, biotechnology has evolved from a narrowly specialized field of research into one of the most strategic global industries. Its applications in pharmaceuticals, genetic engineering, agricultural biotechnology, and synthetic biology affect not only economic competitiveness but also public health, food security, and national security. Against the backdrop of this rapid growth, transnational corporations (TNCs) have become the primary drivers of global investment in research, patent accumulation, and market development. Since biotechnology is a sector characterized by high innovation costs, uncertainty, and strict regulation, companies that possess financial and political leverage to shape patent frameworks and national science policy often gain disproportionate influence. As a result, international rules governing intellectual property (IP), as well as domestic decisions regarding research priorities, oversight standards, and investment incentives, increasingly reflect the strategic priorities of a small number of powerful companies. Thus, TNCs shape both the global patent regime and national science policy [8, p. 775]. Biotechnology differs from many other scientific fields due to long development timelines, extremely high costs, and uncertainty of outcomes. The development of a new medicinal product may take 10–15 years and cost more than USD 1 billion. Similarly, the creation of new genetically modified seeds requires extensive regulatory testing, field trials, and data collection [3, p. 195]. Biotechnology is increasingly organized through global value chains that integrate research centers, contract organizations, clinical laboratories, and production facilities across dozens of countries. TNCs act as ―system integrators,‖ coordinating knowledge, capital, and regulatory strategies across borders [3, p. 198]. In biotechnology, patents serve not only as mechanisms for protecting scientific discoveries but also as tools of market control. TNCs use extensive patent portfolios to maintain exclusivity over pharmaceuticals, bioproducts, seeds, and genetic technologies. Common strategies include: