For Cancer Therapies, It’s Getting Increasingly Personal

Last November, the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development reported that more than 90% of biopharmaceutical companies are investing in personalized medicine, with 12-50% of compounds in the drug development pipeline qualifying as personalized medicines. According to the report, personalized medicine is having an impact across disease areas, but is most evident in new therapeutic approaches to oncology.

The latest research reported at this year’s annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncologists taking place over the weekend in Chicago reflects the same momentum and enthusiasm for the potential of targeted therapies in advancing the treatment of cancer. A front-page article by Ron Winslow in today’s Wall Street Journal, “Major Shift in War on Cancer,” explores some of the exciting personalized medicine therapies under development for cancer, highlighting new data presented at ASCO.

Winslow notes, “New research is signaling a major shift in how cancer drugs are developed and patients are treated—offering the promise of personalized therapies that reach patients faster and are more effective than other medicines.” The article nicely illustrates the promise of the science as well as some of the challenges facing researchers, companies and regulators.

This Thursday, PhRMA President and CEO John Castellani will continue the discussion of promising advances on the horizon for personalized medicine at the Personalized Medicine Coalition’s Seventh Annual State of Personalized Medicine Luncheon at the National Press Club. We hope to see some of you there. To register for the luncheon, visit: http://www.personalizedmedicinecoalition.org/events/State-of-PM.