118 of the biotechnology companies were either startups or R&D institutes. The remaining 31 companies were active in the field of industry and most were involved in the development and manufacture of drugs for human and veterinary use.
Some 46 percent of the biotechnology workers were employed in R&D, 34 percent were involved in production and 20 percent worked in marketing and administration. Some 50 percent of the biotech workers in 2002 were women, the CBS figures revealed.
The cost of salaries of biotechnology workers amounted to $135m. an average of $3,333 a month per employee.
Some 50 percent of biotechnology revenues in 2002 came from firms operating in the field of drugs for human and veterinary use; 22 percent stemmed from research companies; and 29 percent came from companies involved in agriculture and foodstuffs.
Half of the companies involved in biotechnology in 2002 were active in the field of human medicine; 20 percent of the companies were involved in agricultural and marine biotechnology; 19 percent worked in the field of environmental biotechnology; and 7 percent focused on cosmetics. The remaining companies were involved in the production of foodstuffs.
Some 149-biotechnology companies were active in Israel in 2003, according to figures released yesterday by the Central Bureau of Statistics. (CBS)
According to the CBS data, the companies employed a total of 3,900 workers and generated revenues of $282m. Exports accounted for $212m. of the total sales. Research and development expenses totaled $207m., approximately four percent of the national expenditure on R&D.