DefinedHealth

Jeffrey M. Bockman, PhD

We all know how many biopharmaceutical companies are chasing anticancer drugs. It may not be surprising therefore that a substantial portion of Defined Health’s work is in the oncology space, either evaluating early stage oncology assets for the originator or a prospective partner or helping identify worthwhile in-licensing opportunities. Given both these areas of work and DH’s unique purview at the intersection of scientific, clinical and commercial issues, we thought that it might be interesting to step back from the daily grind to pause and reflect on how oncology as a therapeutic area might change over the next decade as a function of the clinical development pipeline and market dynamics. While we will examine what conceptual approaches, MOAs and specific development programs are likely to yield clinically beneficial products over the next ten-plus years, our primary goal is to open up for discussion whether any of these are likely to be groundbreaking – that is, the next bevacizumab – or whether these are more likely to be incrementally innovative (which certainly does not disqualify them from being blockbusters).

Examples of some representative questions we will pose include:

• Where are we with cancer stem cells?
• What is the status of targeting the various pathways involved in metastases?
• When will we have a true anti-apoptotic targeted agent?
• How promising are epigenetic MOAs (in light of already approved agents)?
• Do we really need monoclonals with payloads (radiolabeled or toxin-labeled) or are naked antibodies enough?
• Are microRNAs the missing link?
• How viable are gene/virus-based anticancer approaches?
• What is the real promise of immunotherapy and when will it be realized?