Biologics, on the other hand, are created using some kind of biological organism, and due to this, are not consistent, though manufacturers strive to get similar results from batch to batch. They're also often very fragile due to their origins and must generally be kept cold or at a specific temperature to perform at their best. These drugs are often expensive to manufacture and are used in medical settings and to treat uncommon diseases.
Biologics versus biosimilars
When a small molecule drug goes off patent and can be manufactured by other companies, each has the same recipe they use, so it's the same no matter what. Those are generic drugs, and they're identical to the formerly patented drug.
Biologics have their own corresponding type of medication, known as a biosimilar, but they're not identical to the original patent and, therefore, not a generic. Instead, biosimilars are highly similar, but are permitted to have minor differences from the reference drugs as long as the results are the same. Patients must be able to trust biosimilars in the same way as the original biologic, even if they're slightly different.