Market Challenges And Opportunities

Oncology Drug Pipeline Analysis – Drivers

Innovative approaches in the cancer treatment is a major factor boosting growth of the oncology pipeline drugs market. For instance, the novel basket study includes patients with a certain genetic mutation in common, regardless of the site or origin of cancer in the body. Basket studies can be useful when a drug targets certain genetic mutation at a particular site and using that drug to treat same genetic mutation in cancer at another site. For instance, Larotrectinib, a drug of Loxo Oncology, Inc., is currently under review by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of tyrosine kinase mutation by using basket studies. This drug has been approved as Investigational New Drug in May 2018.

Combinational therapies are the latest development driving the growth of oncology pipeline drugs market. For instance, Pfizer Inc. is undergoing efficacy and safety study for Avelumab in combination with chemotherapy, followed by maintenance therapy of Avelumab with PARP inhibitor talazoparib in patients with history of untreated advanced ovarian cancer. This study is under clinical phase III trials and is expected to complete in May 2026.

Furthermore, increasing government investment to support oncology research is expected to propel the growth of market. For instance, in September 2018, U.S. FDA granted over US$ 18 million for new clinical trial research; out of which 33% is for rare forms of cancer, including advanced pancreatic cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and acute myeloid leukemia.

Oncology Drug Pipeline Analysis – Challenges

Increasing cost of therapies is expected to hinder growth of the oncology drug pipeline market. For instance, according to a report published in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 2016, Pertuzumab-based therapy, used in treatment of HER2 positive breast cancer costs US$ 215,000 per patient.

Moreover, lack of patient’s participation in clinical studies, increase in clinical trial complexity, and resource constraints are some of the other factors hampering growth of the oncology drug pipeline market. For instance, according to a report published in Journal of Clinical oncology, June 2012, the rate of number of cancer patients enrolling in clinical trial worldwide is 3%-5% and the rate has not improved since 1980.