Global Oncology Market Gains Ground, Driven by Innovative Cancer Treatment Therapies
April 06 2017 - 8:30AM
InvestorWire
New York, New York (NetworkNewsWire) – Survival rates for
several major cancers have steadily improved over the last couple
of decades, according to the American Cancer Society
(ACS). Still, an annual report estimates there will be
nearly 1.7 million new cancer cases in 2017, and close to 700,000
deaths from the disease in the United States. While early detection
and the reduction of certain risk factors play a role in increased
survival rates, so does the application of innovative therapies.
TapImmune, Inc. (NASDAQ: TPIV) (TPIV
Profile), Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE), Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:
CELG), Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and
Clovis Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLVS) are among the
many biopharma companies leading the pursuit of effective therapies
with the potential to help increase cancer survival rates.
Emerging treatment options in the field of oncology include
immunotherapy, pills for blood-based conditions such as multiple
myeloma, and drugs for skin, lung and other cancers. As reported
(1) by QuintilesIMS (formerly IMS Health), more than 70
new cancer treatments were developed in the past five years,
demonstrating the global need for effective cancer treatments.
Clinical-stage immune-oncology company TapImmune, Inc.
(NASDAQ: TPIV) is particularly focused on the
potential of immunotherapy – which stimulates the body’s immune
response to prevent or treat diseases – for the treatment of
women’s cancers with high recurrence rates, namely ovarian and
breast cancer. Because TapImmune’s innovations center on
immunotherapy, it is worth noting that ovarian and breast cancer
are typically resistant to most immunotherapies. The company’s
approach to immune-oncology therapy, however, demonstrates unique
potential to go against the grain.
TapImmune has two T-cell vaccine candidates (TPIV 200 and TPIV
110) designed to overcome shortcomings of earlier vaccines. The
technology platform behind these candidates combines unique and
proprietary sets of peptide antigens designed to stimulate both
killer T-cell and helper T-cell immune responses against
well-characterized molecular targets associated with disease
prognosis.
The goal is to trigger a natural immune response against both
the primary tumor as well as metastatic disease to help prevent
cancer recurrence and as a second-line therapy for women who are
resistant to first-line therapies. To achieve this goal, the
vaccines are comprised of naturally processed antigens from human
immune responses recognized by more than 85% of the population, as
well as a mix of class I and class II antigens to achieve an
anti-tumor immune response across a broader patient population.
TapImmune’s lead vaccine candidate, TPIV 200, is being evaluated
in three phase 2 clinical studies, and the company anticipates
initiating a fourth study later this year. In the completed phase 1
study, TPIV 200 demonstrated positive results that were published
in the Journal of Oncology and which led to significant
collaborations for phase 2.
The company has also developed and owns a novel proprietary
preclinical technology called Poly Start, which can improve the
effectiveness of DNA-based immunotherapies by amplifying the target
antigen’s visibility, recognition of target cells, and the ability
for a patient’s immune system to find and eliminate cancer cells.
PolyStart also provides TapImmune additional opportunities to
explore applications against infectious disease.
Another leader in cancer immunotherapy drugs is Pfizer
(PFE), which has developed such a treatment for an
aggressive type of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma. In
addition, the FDA is considering using this drug to fight bladder
cancer. Late-stage clinical trials are supporting additional
applications too. Pfizer’s drug could eventually have applications
in head and neck, stomach, kidney, and lung cancers. In 2016, it
began investigating three new immunotherapy drugs in collaboration
with several leading health organizations, using its own
proprietary immunotherapy agnostic monoclonal antibodies.
Celgene (CELG) is the brainchild of Revlimid, a
blood cancer pill that was approved by the FDA in 2005 for the
treatment of multiple myeloma. Although the drug has been on the
market for over a decade, it had a 20% jump in sales in 2016,
generating $6.97 billion in revenue that year. Celgene is also
developing new drug candidates for treating diseases other than
cancer.
Opdivo, approved in 2014, was developed by Bristol-Myers
Squibb (BMY) and has been used to treat various types of
cancer. Able to stop tumor cells from shutting down the immune
system, the drug has been studied alongside standard types of
chemotherapy. It didn’t outperform these types of care in studies,
but it was the first chemo-free treatment for lung cancer and
remains a second-line therapy. It’s currently being explored for
treating head and neck, bladder, kidney, and skin cancer as well as
lymphoma. The company has also developed Sprycel, a leukemia drug,
and Empliciti, a monoclonal antibody for patients with relapsing
multiple myeloma.
Clovis Oncology (CLVS) is the creator of
Rubraca for advanced ovarian cancer in patients with certain BRCA
gene mutations and who’ve been treated with at least two other
chemotherapy drugs. The medication is prescribed as a pill.
Preclinical and clinical trial drugs are being explored and include
treatments for triple negative breast cancer, gastroesophageal
cancer, and gynecologic cancers. Leading in development is
rucaparib, a small molecule inhibitor of poly (ADP-ribose)
polymerase (PARP) 1, 2 and 3. Being used for ovarian cancer
treatment, it’s also in clinical development for certain prostate
cancer patients.
According to a study by QuintilesIMS, the global market for
cancer treatments reached $107 billion in 2015. Thanks to an
unprecedented number of innovations by companies like TapImmune and
others, the market is expected to continue to grow 7.5-10.5 percent
each year to hit $150 billion by 2020, delivering new hope for the
fight against cancer.
Editorial Sources:
(1) QuintilesIMS: http://nnw.fm/S2VdY
For more information on TapImmune visit: TapImmune, Inc.
(TPIV) or www.Tapimmune.com
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