Oncology Focused Pipeline | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Satraplatin |
Marketing authorization application under review in Europe, Phase 1 and 2 trials underway and planned in several cancer types and combinations |
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1D09C3 monoclonal antibody |
Phase 1 program in relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphomas |
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Broad-spectrum cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor |
In pre-clinical testing, Phase 1 program being planned |
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Selective cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor |
In pre-clinical testing |
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Other kinase inhibitors |
Several programs in discovery |
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Drug Discovery and Development - Focus on Oncology
Recent statistics show that an estimated six million people worldwide die of cancer annually, with 10 million new cases each year. Older people are more likely to get cancer and, as the population ages, these numbers are expected to grow. In the U.S. cancer is the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2006 there will be nearly 1.4 million new cases of cancer diagnosed and over 560,000 deaths attributable to cancer in the United States. According to the Annals of Oncology1, in Europe, there were an estimated 2.9 million new cases of cancer diagnosed and 1.7 million cancer deaths in 2004.
Many different approaches are used in treating cancer, including surgery, radiation therapy, drugs or a combination of these approaches. Drugs used to treat cancer include chemotherapeutics, hormones and immune-based therapies. According to the MattsonJack CancerMetric database, over 1 million cancer patients were treated with anticancer drugs in 2003 in the United States. According to Reuters Business Insight estimates, the worldwide sales of anticancer drugs totaled over $14 billion in 2002 and are forecast to reach $20 billion in 2008.
While many cancer therapies are available today, most of these are only partially effective and often cause serious side effects. Furthermore, the emergence of resistance to drugs is common, rendering them ineffective and resulting in disease progression. Second-line therapies, as well as combination therapies using drugs with different mechanisms-of-action, have led to increased success in treating certain cancers. However, long-term survival remains extremely poor for the majority of patients with cancer.
GPC Biotech is building a portfolio of anticancer drugs to address the large need for new and improved treatments. The Company believes it has important strengths that will enable it to be successful in this competitive field. GPC Biotech has assembled a drug development team, headquartered in Princeton, N.J., with a combined total career track record of over 20 drug regulatory approvals. The Company also has highly experienced executives and scientists in the fields of molecular oncology and oncology drug discovery, complementing the drug development group. To diversify the inherent risk associated with the development of anticancer drugs, GPC Biotech works on a varied group of anticancer drug candidates, including those with known mechanisms-of-action, such as satraplatin, as well as product candidates that have novel mechanisms-of-action.
1) Cancer incidence and mortality in Europe, 2004. Annals of Oncology. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdi098
