Biogenic weapon
Biogenic weapons, or "bioweapons", are a classification of weapon that cause little or no damage to starships or infrastructure, but instead are designed to biogenically interfere with lifeforms, most commonly to attack people. This can be achieved in a number of ways, but is usually related to radiation or DNA scrambling and manipulation.
Substances and materials required to create these weapons, such as bio-mimetic gel are often illegal, expensive or difficult to obtain. Because of their high cost of life and somewhat terroristic nature, the Federation does not officially or extensive make use of them and largely disapproves of biogenic weapons in the hands of other species.
Examples of biogenic weapons include genetically-engineered viruses, poisonous chemical compounds, and other similar materials such as: Cobalt diselenide, Trilithium resin, Thalaron radiation, and Aceton assimilators.
History
One of the options pursued by the Xindi for the destruction of Humanity was a deadly Xindi bioweapon, which they attempted to unleash on Earth in the year 2004.
The Harvesters, developed by the T'Lani and the Kellerun, were nanobiogenic weapons.
In 2373, while in the employ of Hagath and Gaila, Quark arranged to procure a quantity of Varaxian LM-7, an experimental biogenic weapon that could wipe out millions of people within the space of a week.
The Dominion was known to use biogenic weapons as well. One example is the Teplan blight, a virus that afflicted the people of the Teplan system when they resisted the Jem'Hadar.
The Maquis gained possession of biogenic weapons after capturing the cargo of several freighters. Michael Eddington used them in attacks on Cardassian planets in the Demilitarized Zone until he was stopped by Benjamin Sisko. Several months later, Sisko was concerned the remaining Maquis biogenic weapons could have been placed on cloaked missiles.
In The Voyager Encounter holoprogram, The Doctor designed biogenic weapons for the USS Voyager to use against the Kyrians. His bioweapons resulted in eight million casualties during the Great War.
