Developing an oncology portfolio of anticancer drugs: the experience of one pharmaceutical company

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmaceutical Drug Development

Background:

• Drug development success rates are notably low, necessitating risk mitigation strategies.
• A diverse portfolio of anti-cancer agents is crucial for pharmaceutical companies aiming for successful drug discovery.
• Targeting various biological effect areas and cancer subtypes is essential for effective therapeutic development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline a strategy for developing a portfolio of anti-cancer agents.
• To describe a pharmaceutical company's approach to creating a range of cancer-targeting drug candidates.
• To maximize the technical feasibility of developing new anti-cancer medicines.

Main Methods:

• Establishing a diverse portfolio of drug candidates targeting cancer.
• Exploring multiple biological effect areas for potential anti-cancer activity.
• Focusing on developing agents for specific histological subtypes of cancer.

Main Results:

• A range of different anti-cancer agents has been developed by the company.
• The company aims to advance as many feasible agents as possible into new medicines.
• The strategy focuses on reducing the risk of failure in anti-cancer drug development.

Conclusions:

• A portfolio approach is vital for successful anti-cancer agent development.
• Diversification across biological targets and cancer types enhances the probability of therapeutic success.
• The described strategy facilitates the progression of multiple anti-cancer agents towards clinical application.