PhRMA report: 800 medicines and vaccines in development to treat cancer

WASHINGTON — America’s biopharmaceutical research companies are currently developing nearly 800 new medicines and vaccines for cancer, according to a new report released Monday by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

 

“In recent decades, we have seen great progress in developing effective cancer treatments that help extend lives, improve quality of life and increase productivity,” said PhRMA president and CEO John Castellani. “Continued research has expanded our knowledge of how cancer develops and how to target medicines for specific cancer types, which has resulted in more effective therapies for patients.”

 

As detailed in the new report, biopharmaceutical research companies continue to explore new avenues to fight cancer, which has been found to be a set of more than 200 unique diseases. Researchers also are identifying ways to use existing medicines, either alone or in combination with other therapies, to treat various types of cancers more effectively than current standards of care. 

 

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for nearly 1-in-4 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. More than 1.6 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2014 alone, and nearly 600,000 Americans are projected to die from cancer this year.

 

“Although the death rate from cancer has been steadily declining for the past four decades, its toll is still staggering. Despite the complexity of the challenge, researchers at biopharmaceutical companies remain committed to developing new treatment options for patients," Castellani said.

 

Of the 771 medicines and vaccines either in clinical trials or awaiting review by the Food and Drug Administration, there are 98 for lung cancer, 87 for leukemia, 78 for lymphoma, 73 for breast cancer, 56 for skin cancer and 48 for ovarian cancer. 

 

The report highlights how biopharmaceutical research companies are working together and collaborating with academic medical centers, government and non-profit organizations to make progress against cancer a reality. These public- private partnerships help to leverage diversity of thought and experience and reduce potential duplication. The goal is to increase the number of new therapies for patients while reducing the time necessary to develop them.

 

Castellani will discuss the importance of collaborations and commitment of biopharmaceutical researchers to persevere despite scientific challenges and setbacks at the Turning the Tide Against Cancer National Conference on Oct. 9. PhRMA is a sponsor of the conference, which will bring together thought leaders from industry, advocacy organizations, academia and government to discuss the cancer research and care landscape.