Some of the most exciting developments in the last fifty years have been in the biotechnology industry - which has also meant the emergence of some of the best investments for 2013.
Just look at the progress biotech has made in medicine.
Using advanced technology and research, scientists in the life sciences industry are working on cures for diseases that have plagued mankind for decades. In a relatively short period of time, biotechnology has produced medications that have pushed many forms of cancer to the brink of defeat. HIV infection went from a death sentence to a manageable - and almost cured - condition, in just a few decades.
Biotech share prices have reflected these successes.
As Barron's pointed out last week, biotech stocks have soared 111% over the past couple years, about three times better than healthcare stocks.
And early investors in biotech have seen astronomical gains over the past four to five years.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: REGN) has soared from less than $5 a share back in 2005 to more than $240 a share today as its drugs have been used to battle ophthalmological disease and several forms of cancer. Incyte Corp. (Nasdaq: INCY) has seen its stock price rise from $2 a share just four years ago to more than $20 today. Early investors in industry leader Amgen Inc. (Nasdaq: AMGN) have seen gains of almost 100 times their initial investment.
But those gains are far from over.
In fact, right now just may be the best time in history to be an investor in the biotechnology sector.
Why Biotech is Among the Best Investments of 2013
As the population ages the demand for new drugs and treatment is growing rapidly.
In response to this, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has taken steps to speed up the testing and approval process for new drugs. Last year the agency approved 30% more new drugs than the year before - the most in 16 years.
In the last year alone we have seen several biotech stocks make moves of more than 200% when their drugs received approval from the Food and Drug Administration - and biotech profits are rising more than 20% per year.
Part of the reason for their success: spending on research & development that's finally paying off. The benefits of successful R&D spread to the entire industry.
"Ten years ago, the human genome could barely be decoded. Ten years from now, one can guess that it will be done for pennies, nearly instantaneously," Morgan Stanley U.S. equity strategist Adam Parker wrote to Barron's. "We could be witnessing a substantial re-rating, where instead of a discount on R&D being embedded in health-care stocks, a premium could ultimately be awarded for the potential option value of curing a disease."
There are more innovative research and development efforts under away in the industry right now with enormous potential to improve our lives. There are currently drugs pending approval for everything from irritable bowel syndrome to cancer that could come to market later this year.
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's researchers are working feverishly to develop treatments and potential cures for these two awful diseases. Just this week Danish Researchers announced a potential major breakthrough in the search for a permanent cure for HIV.
That's why our Private Briefing investment service regularly covers the best investments in biotech. Editor William Patalon III even included one in his recent report, The Seven Best Investments of 2013.
For more info on how to access this biotech pick and the other "best investments" of 2013, just go here.
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