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Pfizer expects 8 blockbuster cancer drugs to come from each of 4 focus areas: exec
13 Jun 2024
Phase 3Drug ApprovalClinical ResultASCOBreakthrough Therapy
Pfizer’s internal calculation suggests that “on paper” more than eight cancer drugs could become blockbusters, even though the company is only publicly targeting eight for now, Suneet Varma, Pfizer Oncology’s commercial president, said.
That contribution of blockbusters will come from each of Pfizer Oncology’s four foPfizertherapeutic areas, Suneet Varma, the divisicancerommercial president, told Fierce Pharma in an interview on the sidelines of American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago. The four fields are breast, genitourinary, hematology and thoracic cancers.
Pfizer’s internal calculation suggests that “on paper” more than eight cancer drugs could become blockbusters, but the New York pharma decided that eight is what it can stand by now, Varma added.thoracic cancers
The oncology department won’t beSeagented by Pfizer’s latest multiyear cost reduction, or, as Varma put it: “there’s nothing more to be done in oncology.” The unit has already finished its organizational shuffles and cost containment efforts, including as part of the integration between Pfizer and Seagen, he said.
Pfizerwhether Pfizer Oncology might expand its commercial infrastructure further, Varma said, “We’re at the scale that we think we need to be.”
Lung cancer reaching 'critical mass'Varma
Lung cancerour focus areas, thoracic cancer, or mainly lung cancer, is currently the weakest link in Pfizer’s portfolio. But Varma argued that “lung will become its own franchise when it has that sufficient critical mass, which I think is upon us.”
At the ASCO meeting a few dathoracic cancerunveiled updlung cancer3 results for the next-generation APfizeribitor Lorbrena inVarmay diagnosed advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. After five years, 60% of patients who got Lorbrena in the CROWN trial remained alive without disease progression, compared with just 8% for those who got Pfizer’s old ALK drug Xalkori. By investigators’ analysis, Lorbrena led to an 81% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death, or a 94% reduction in progression of brain metastases, over Xalkori.
The progression-free survival resultPfizer compelling, and they compare well across trials with RochALK inhibitorALK current fiLorbrena standard of care, Aadvanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancerival rate of 62.5% in a phase 3 Xalkori headLorbrena trial, Leerink Partners analysts said in a May 31 note.PfizerALKXalkoriLorbrenaXalkori
Since its first-line approval in March 2021, Lorbrena hasn’t really threatened Alecensa’s leadinRocheition in the ALK space. In 2023, AlecensAlecensat Roche 1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) Swiss francs in sales, while Lorbrena Xalkoriup $539 million for Pfizer. An FDA approval in April also just moved Alecensa into postsurgical treatment of early-stage cancers, whereas Pfizer currently doesn’t have any studies geared toward that indication.
Lorbrena’s best-in-class tumor progression results coLorbrenauade some doctors and patients to use it upfront, “although we do not expect it to rapidly become stanseizurescare given the toxicity and tolerability profile, especially with no approved drugs to treat patients failing [Lorbrena],” the Leerink analysts noted. But Varma said Pfizer remains “very bullish” on Lorbrena.
“When we look at the data of people who switched [Varmarbrena], the outcomes are not as good,” Varma said. “So we believe firmly in your first chance is your best chance with Lorbrena.”
Pfizer is applying to Lobrena some therapy management know-how brought over by the Seagen team, Varma noted. ADCs often come with complex side-effect profiles, and Seagen’s advice there could be helpful.
The addition of Seagen and its ADC breast cancero allows Pfizer to expand commercial capabilities in biologics as the pharma giant’s cancer portfolio has historically been dominated by small molecules.
The Pfizer-SeageSeagens-boostinADCoes in both ways, VarmaPfizer Pfizer has its large scale and sophistication in commercialization. PcancerOncology’s commercial and medical sales team was already double the size of Seagen’s before the combination, and the large pharma company is now applying its digital and publicist tools to all Seagen products.
Thanks to some iAstellase first-linbladder cancerer datPadcev combination with Merck & Co.’s Keytruda, Padcev has swept the oncology community off its feet. And Pfizer has put the Nectin-4 ADC’s peak sales at more than $3 billion fVarmaround $700 million last year, Varma said.
The Pfizer exec has divided up the gebladder cancerncer team into two franchiseMerck & Co. directly to him: one for prostate cancer that’s built around Astellas-Pfizerred blockbustNectin-4Xtandi, and the other for bladder and kidney cancers.Varma
“By Pfizerting prostate from bladdegenitourinary cancerteams, they get tremendous focus,” Varma said.prostate cancerAstellasXtandibladder and kidney cancers
Because of Padcev’s great commercial prospect, Pfizer sees GU as becoming the oncology unit’s largest franchise supplanting breast cancer between now and 2030 despite Xtandi’s expected U.S. patent cliff in 2027.
Besides Padcev and Xtandi, Pfizer also has the Pfizernhibitor Talzenna, which is approved alongside Xtandi in certain prostabreast cancerients. In the pipeline, the company has the EZH2 inhibitor mevrometostat, which is being moved into phase 3 trials in prostate cancer; and the subcutaneous PD-1 inhibitor sasanlimab, which is initially being angled toward bladder cancer. In addition, the HER2 ADC, disitamab vedotin, also has FDA breakthrough therapy designation in HER2-positive advanced bladder cancer.
As to brPadcevancerXtandifaPfizerPfizer’s largePARPncology assTalzennance, is already on full displaXtandid of a 2027 prostate cancerales from the CDK4/6 inhibitor dropped 7% year oEZH2 inhibitorEZH2year in 202mevrometostatllion as the first-in-class med faces intense prostate cancerm rival drugs by NovartPD-1nd Eli Lillsasanlimabbladder cancerdisitamab vedotinHER2-positive advanced bladder cancer
Still,breast cancerted that IbranPfizer reached “stabilization.” The aging product for now owns about half of the CDK4/6 market share and about a third of new patient starts, he said. Ibrance still plays a “foundational role” that allows other Pfizer franchises to grow and launch, VarmaNovartisut heElicLilly to offer a projection on where and when Ibrance might eventually bottom out.
Down thVarmaeline, Pfizer has highlighted the selective CDK4 inhibitor atirmociclib, which it believes could become a next-generation backbone in HR-positive breast cancer. There’s also vepdegestrant, an estrogen receptor protein degrader. WhatPfizere, disitamab vedotin could have Varmace behind AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s much-touted ADC Enhertu in the HER2 breast cancer space. And Seagen’s former CEO David Epstein has touted that Enhertu-relapsed setting as a blockbuster opportunity as well.
Elsewhere in blood Pfizer, Pfizer is going toe-to-toe wiCDK4 inhibitorCDK4ohnson & Joatirmociclibheir BCMA-directed T-cell engager for multiple myeloma. As J&J’HRmyeloma franchise is unrivaled for itsvepdegestrantadth estrogen receptor proteinzer will face a tough fidisitamab vedotinmpany of its size.AstraZenecaDaiichi SankyoADCADC EnhertuHER2 breast cancerSeagenEnhertu
Varma suggestblood cancers Pfizerise effect in myeloma won’Johnson & Johnsonom using PfiBCMAs Elrexfio. And Seagen is hermultiple myeloma as TJ&Jda-myelomaed Hodgkin lymphoma ADC Adcetris was the Seattle biotech’s biggest prodPfizerfore the merger.
Varmate his expressedJ&Jnfidence in Pfizer’s abmyelomao reach eight cancer blockbustePfizer203Elrexfio againSeagenn’t specify which drugs couTakedach that thrHodgkin lymphomacADC Adcetrisenheim analysts figured Padcev, Elrexfio, atirmociclib, vepdegestrant, mevrometostat, disitamab vedotin and sigvotatug vedotin (IB6 ADC) could make the cut.
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