VANCOUVER – USA News Group – There’s plenty of optimism surrounding the major medical breakthroughs targeting multiple types of cancer that are getting closer to approval across the pharmaceutical sector. Among the latest trends are trials beginning for cancer vaccines, and combination therapy to combat resistance to chemotherapy drugs, and predictive oncology for precision cancer care. There has been plenty of development from the biotech sector, including from Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ:ONCY) (TSX:ONC), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:REGN), Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN), and Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN).
Recently Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ:ONCY) (TSX:ONC) announced that in early December, it will give an update on its Phase II Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Trial—known as the IRENE study, which is evaluating the company’s flagship product pelareorep in combination with Incyte’s anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor retifanlimab.
Pelareorep is being evaluated for multiple cancer types, including gastrointestinal cancers, where Oncolytics Biotech also announced the dosing of its first patient in a Phase 1/2 GOBLET Study, with another pelareorep-anti-PD-L1 combination.
“[The GOBLET] trial addresses a pressing unmet need in gastrointestinal cancer by leveraging pelareorep's immunotherapeutic effects to overcome checkpoint inhibitor resistance and then increase the proportion of patients responding to checkpoint inhibition therapies,” said Dr. Coffey. “Looking forward, we will continue to strategically leverage collaborations and partnerships to drive pelareorep's development as an enabling technology for various immuno-oncology agents across multiple indications with high unmet needs."
So far there have been several potential suitors for pelareorep, an immunotherapeutic agent that turns “cold” tumors “hot”, including from Roche, Merck, Merck KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Pfizer Inc., all of which make oncology drugs that are being evaluated in combination with pelareorep.
Big changes are coming for Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), as the pharma giant is splitting into separate companies. On one side will be the company’s better known over-the-counter household brands such as Neutrogena, Aveeno, and Band-Aids. On the other, will be J&J’s leading cancer drug Darzalex, along with the pharma giant’s Covid-19 injections, and medical devices for orthopedics and surgery.
In the second quarter of 2021, J&J’s revenue in the pharmaceutical segment grew 13.8% year over year to $12.9 billion. Darzalex, was one of the company’s biggest revenue drivers.
According to Jennifer Taubert, Executive Vice President, worldwide chairman of pharmaceuticals at J&J, the company will rely on a combination of established medicines, investigational drugs, and new, innovative therapeutics such as CAR-T meds and gene therapies, on the company’s route to becoming a $60-billion-a-year drug maker by 2025. She also told FiercePharma that Darzalex could soon get a boost from a combination regimen approval in frontline multiple myeloma.
For Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:REGN), a new $900 million cancer and infectious disease deal has been struck with Norwegian clinical-stage vaccine specialists Nykode (formerly Vaccibody). The collaboration covers multiple targets across five programmes, with three vaccines against cancer. Each of the vaccine candidates would be eligible for milestone and royalty payments.
Prior to the Nykode deal, Regeneron updated the sector on their ongoing diverse hematology program in blood cancers and disorders.
"Our hematology portfolio continues to expand with multiple trials now underway to investigate our bispecific antibodies, RNA-based therapies and gene editing, among other approaches," said L. Andres Sirulnik, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Translational and Clinical Sciences, Hematology at Regeneron. "Our diverse pipeline includes investigational medicines across several blood cancers including multiple myeloma and lymphoma, in addition to blood disorders such as paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, aplastic anemia, amyloidosis and thrombosis. We continue to make progress across our hematology portfolio with eight assets currently in the clinic."
Another potential blockbuster with combo potential is Lumakras from Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN)—which was approved by the FDA in May, to become the first and only targeted treatment for patients with KRAS G12C-Mutated locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
“Lumakras has been prescribed by over 500 oncologists in both academic and community settings. A majority of clinical laboratories have updated their testing reports to reflect KRAS G12C as an actionable mutation, and approximately 75% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer are now being tested for the mutation at the time of diagnosis,” said Amgen’s commercial operations chief Murdo Gordon. “I’m very pleased with the Lumakras launch uptake in the U.S.”
Analysts estimate Lumakras sales could hit $57 million in Q4 2021 and $350 million in 2022. They also see much more potential for growth with positive readouts from trials of combo treatments, particularly for colorectal cancer.
Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) is leading the way in gene sequencing systems, having exceeded expectations all year. Three times so far this year, Illumina has raised its growth guidance, saying now that sales will rise 36%.
“Oncology testing, population sequencing and drug discovery initiatives drove record NovaSeq consumable and instrument shipments,” said CEO Francis deSouza, in Regeneron’s latest Q3 2021 earnings call. “Sequencing instruments revenue for core Illumina grew 65% year-over-year to $180 million, driven by record NovaSeq shipments that again more than doubled year-over-year due to accelerating demand in oncology testing.”
Among its services is its contribution of its TruSight Oncology 500 assay to a next-gen cancer sequencing program, which covers more than 500 genes.
Article Source: https://usanewsgroup.com/2020/02/24/why-biotechnology-companies-are-so-important/
DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. USA News Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc. (“MIQ”). MIQ has been paid a fee for Oncolytics Biotech Inc. advertising and digital media from the company directly. There may be 3rd parties who may have shares of Oncolytics Biotech Inc., and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MIQ own shares of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. which were purchased in the open market, and reserve the right to buy and sell, and will buy and sell shares of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. at any time without any further notice commencing immediately and ongoing. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material, including this article, which is disseminated by MIQ has been approved by Oncolytics Biotech Inc.; this is a paid advertisement, we currently own shares of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. and will buy and sell shares of the company in the open market, or through private placements, and/or other investment vehicles.
While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.
