Biotech Strategy Blog

Commentary on Science, Innovation & New Products with a focus on Oncology, Hematology & Immunotherapy

About MaverickNY

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Posts by MaverickNY

Is TGF-β making a comeback in cell therapy?

Will the new developments be the equivalent of walking down the steps rather than the steep climb up of late?

Targeting cytokines – once seen as the next big thing in immuno-oncology (IO) – has been falling by the wayside as researchers and companies alike found them much trickier than expected to incorporate into cancer therapeutics.

Part of the problem lies in their pleiotropic nature – they can have an inhibitory or a stimulatory effect depending on the situation they encounter.

In our latest post on this niche we focus on one particular cytokine, which has long frustrated oncology companies,  regardless of the modality deployed.

With the new round of early data reveals, we take a look at whether several different next generation approaches are harnessing the complicated nuances at play, and in the process changing things for the better…

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For whom the bell tolls

Yes, it really was sunny in England one fine day in April 2024!

“Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.”

~ John Donne (1572–1631), Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral in London and poet extraordinaire

Most writers quote the beginning of Donne’s poem and make some point around “No man is an island” and yet, in oncology the latter half of the first verse is a much more apt reminder for us all to ponder.

Few in R&D will forget how patients with advanced solid tumours have precious little time to find the right treatment or regimen to help them live another six months in comfort – in order to put their affairs in order or say goodbye to their loved ones.

It behooves us all to work smarter and find new solutions to move the needle while reducing the incidence of severe adverse events. There is also a responsibility inherent in the process to improve on what’s gone before.

While targeted protein degradation (TPD) is still in its infancy, there is quiet hope for the future versions that we may be on the right track to making a difference to the lives of people with cancer.

In our latest company interview, we chat with a thoughtful company researcher who is leading from the front in developing novel approaches to tackling advanced cancers…

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Another bite at the cherry

Cherry Blossom at the Edinburgh Meadows

It is very rare indeed to see first generation anti-cancer molecules hit the sweet spot against any given novel target. Those following in their wake can often learn from the experiences of their forebears and adjust accordingly.

In our latest story, we look at one such IO target with a chequered history and highlight the next generation agents coming through.

Sometimes simply switching modalities or aiming at different cells/compartments is enough to do the trick. Other times a completely different strategy is needed to unlock the riches hoped for.

With a raft of new data coming soon at ASCO, are their some new diamonds in the rough this time around?

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An innovative approach to tackling KRAS

Viva San Diego!

Not all inhibitors – even in the same class – are equal.

As the flood of KRAS directed agents into the clinic continues, so too does scrutiny on the selection criteria and baseline characteristics.

After all, a less heavily pretreated population can influence the activity and safety profiles reported.

Inreasingly we are seeing more data emerge looking at the resistance mechanisms occuring in reponse to various therapies. There are a number of important emerging questions begining to arise.

For example, if we only target the OFF or ON states, will this leave more opportunities for early escape on the other side?  What if we target both OFF and ON states as well as wild-type KRAS – will this lead to delayed resistance and improved outcomes for patients with KRAS mutated cancers?

It was only just a couple of years ago when G12C inhibitors were all the rage and few observers paid any real attention to drugging additional mutations beyond the initial target.

In the latest report on this niche we’re mostly going to focus on a couple of different mutations not named G12C – including an expert interview with a promising up and coming biotech – as we continue to segue our coverage between AACR and ASCO…

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Bridging the gap between AACR and ASCO

We’re at the time of year where we can cheerfully draw on numerous lessons learned from preclinical research and start applying them to the clinic.

Today’s adventure in the time and space continuum takes us on a brief journey from one solid tumour to potentially several others.

This is an emerging new niche with both small and large players already actively conducting R&D with implications for some interesting future combinations…

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A smorgasbord of new agents

Every now and then what seems like one player out in left field for the longest time suddenly balloons into a whole new class or niche of agents.

Such is the case for the target in the spotlight in today’s focused review.

Here we look at the challenges and opportunities provided within the emerging landscape, explore where the field is going, and what to watch out for because this is one you’re going to hear a lot more about going forward in a number of ways…

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All is not what it seems

You see a dry cleaners, I see a gelato shop in San Diego (yes, really)

Lately the cancer research space is abuzz with the promise of several novel therapeutic approaches, each touted as the next speculation akin to gold panning or tulip mania in centuries past.

As the field rapidly expands, a couple of nagging questions emerge:

  • Can the market truly support the sheer volume of agents now in development?
  • What does success in this particular niche actually look like?

The issue extends far beyond the usual breathless hype and headlines. The reality is many smaller biotechs are on a collision course with a ‘day of reckoning’, as the large pharma players inevitably shift their focus either to snapping up the cream of the crop and through their resources as clinical development or seek fresher opportunities. The unforgiving nature of this ecosystem is nothing new, of course. Yet the current scale of the current pipeline frenzy is truly staggering.

Amidst this frenetic activity, however, glimpses of genuine innovation manage to cut through the noise. The latest dataset from the AACR annual meeting provides a window into some of the more novel strategies taking shape in early stage research. While the hype around certain candidates may be getting ahead of the data, the insights reveal both the promise and potential pitfalls of this highly competitive therapeutic landscape.

As the field continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, discerning fact from fiction will be essential. Mere incremental advances will struggle to capture and hold attention for the long run and, more importantly, investment in an environment hungry for promising agents to fill aging pipelines with gaps coming up thanks to loss of exclusivity.

The thing is, it’s easy to forget only the most compelling, well-differentiated approaches will be poised to navigate this tricky terrain successfully…

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The Eye of the Tiger

San Diego street art

Inspired by some local San Diego street art during the AACR meeting last week, my thoughts were immediately drawn to the lyrics of the early 1980’s pop an analogy…

You might be tempted to think this is all about how cancer cells thought they had the upper hand only for oncology researchers to rise up to the challenge, drawing inspiration from the relentless spirit captured in Survivor’s classic anthem “Eye of the Tiger.”

The idea could be taken further when we consider how by harnessing innovative strategies to overcome tumour resistance and resensitise cancers to therapies, scientists are fighting their way back, taking back control and refusing to stop until they’ve secured the win…

Just like the “last known survivor” stalking its prey, the main on the street may think these novel approaches are becoming laser-focused on cancer’s vulnerabilities, refusing to let the disease maintain its grip.

Except it is not. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

Many in the field (myself included) wince at the idea of people with cancer fighting a ‘battle’ with the disease.

Instead, the analogy is much more about the biotech industry and how companies compete to gain an edge in a tough and highly competitive business:

It’s the thrill of the fight
Rising up to the challenge of our rival.

Are Tango Theraeputics up for the challenge?

Let’s find out…

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Kicking KRAS to the kerb

Sunny San Diego

It’s very rare for any oncology category to see lasting success with the first couple of attempts to drug a particular target, especially where the oncogenic addiction is very strong.

It takes a village to figure out how to improve on the original innovators in order to find novel answers to the signals emerging from their work.

Yet often it is the iterations which ultimately move the needle, just as osimertinib and alectinib did in EGFR and ALK non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Will we see the same trend also happen in KRAS G12C mutated cancers?

In our latest company interview, we’re highlighting the work of Frontier Medicines with their creative next generation strategy to tackling KRAS G12C in people with lung, colon, and pancreatic cancers…

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Lessons learned from AACR24 – Part 1

Sunny San Diego is full of surprises

The AACR annual meeting is an opportunity to challenge established paradigms and scientific dogma.

In this post, we’re highlighting some key learnings we’ve taken from the conference in San Diego, which others in oncology new product development might well want to think about.

Agree or disagree, part of what we do at BSB is challenge your thinking, and consider what we can learn, both good and bad, from researchers, industry executives, thought leaders, and regulatory agencies.

There’s certainly been a lot of inspiring science on show at AACR24 and we’ll have more of those learnings to share in part 2.

To learn more from our latest oncology expert interview and get a heads up on key cancer research insights, subscribers can log-in or you can click to gain access to BSB Premium Content.

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