Jamie Barrand | Sep 20, 2015

PhRMA releases report on cancer medications

Presently, 836 medications and vaccines to treat various cancers are under development by biopharmaceutical research companies across the United States, a report recently released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) indicated.

The PhRMA report used information from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual Cancer Progress Report.

Despite advancements in treatment and continued research, cancer still causes one of every four deaths in the United States.

“The oncology research community has made significant advances in identifying new, more effective therapies to help people with cancer achieve positive treatment outcomes and transition from being cancer patients to cancer survivors,” John J. Castellani, president and CEO of PhRMA, said. “However, the battle is far from over. This new report underscores the sustained commitment of biopharmaceutical companies to address the unmet medical needs of patients fighting these terrible diseases.”

The cancer medications that are in development in the United States are all either in clinical trials or awaiting review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One hundred twenty-three are for lung cancer; 106 are for leukemia; 92 are for lymphoma, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma; 82 are for breast cancer; 58 are for brain tumors, including gliomas; and 53 are for skin cancer, including melanoma.

“The scientific opportunities that exist today and our ability to translate this research into improved outcomes for cancer patients are simply astounding,” Margaret Foti, CEO of AACR, said.

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