Pharma Breakups: Recent Splits in Cancer Care
Deal announcements in the pharmaceutical industry often highlight where the stars align in terms of therapeutic areas, companies, or technologies. On the other hand, breakups shed light on fading stars and challenges faced by drug developers. Recently, many splits have occurred in the oncology research and development space, showcasing the high level of activity in this area.
Oncology Reigns Supreme
With nearly 9,500 oncology drugs in the pipeline, cancer research dominates the pharmaceutical industry. Neurology follows as the second largest R&D category with about 3,900 drugs in development. Behind most broken partnerships lies a narrative of broader R&D challenges faced by drug developers across the industry.
Genentech’s $2 Billion Split from Adaptive
Genentech recently withdrew from a $2 billion deal with Adaptive Biotechnologies focused on T cell-receptor therapies. TCR-based treatments, akin to CAR-T cell therapies, harness the patient’s immune system to recognize different antigens and show promise in cancer treatment. Despite the historic FDA approval of the first TCR therapy for metastatic synovial, setbacks have led to the dissolution of promising partnerships in the TCR space.
Ipsen’s ADC Deal with Sutro
Ipsen entered a deal with Sutro Biopharma worth up to $900 million for an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting the ROR1 tumor antigen. However, Ipsen backed away from the pact following a review of new data and developments in the ROR1 landscape. Clinical readouts for ROR1 candidates have been inconsistent, with safety concerns arising in some studies.
Gilead’s Split from Arcus
Gilead Sciences’ 10-year research collaboration with Arcus Biosciences aimed to bolster its immuno-oncology pipeline. Despite promising clinical data, setbacks led Gilead to return one of its drugs, etrumadenant, to Arcus. The companies decided against a phase 3 trial for the A2a/A2b receptor antagonist. Gilead remains optimistic about other candidates in the partnership, including a late-stage drug targeting TIGIT.
In conclusion, recent splits in cancer care partnerships highlight the challenges and uncertainties inherent in drug development. Despite setbacks, the industry continues to forge ahead in the quest for innovative therapies to combat cancer.
