The podcast highlights the most studied disease area in 2023, advancements in the treatment of colorectal, pancreatic, lung cancer, and leukaemia. It also discusses challenges in clinical development, predictive analytics, digital patient profiles, positive phase one B study on treating metastatic colorectal cancer, enhanced response rates in cancer trials, investigational drug combinations for pancreatic cancer, microbiome-based immunotherapy in cancer treatment, and FDA orphan drug designation for AML treatment.
Breast cancer remains the most studied disease in 2023, with promising advancements in colorectal, pancreatic, and lung cancer treatments.
The increase in phase two clinical trial attrition rates poses challenges for new therapy development and clinical development cost control.
Deep dives
Breast Cancer Most Studied Disease in 2023
Breast cancer remained the most studied disease in 2023 for the third consecutive year, followed by solid tumors, stroke, COVID-19, and prostate cancer. Fezi's analysis of 65,749 clinical trials showed that the US holds 33% of investigator sites globally, indicating a strong presence in interventional trials. The increase in trial recruitment across the top five indications, particularly in solid tumor trials, suggests promising developments in innovative cancer therapies.
Impact of Phase Two Attrition Rate on Clinical Trials
The attrition rate during phase two clinical trials reached 28% in 2023, marking a significant increase from pre-pandemic levels of around 20%. This trend could impede the speed at which new therapies reach the market and contribute to rising costs in the clinical development industry. While cancellation rates showed slight improvement in the latter half of the year, challenges are anticipated in 2024 for portfolio managers and trial planners.
Advancements in Cancer Treatment Research
Cardiff Oncology's phase one B study results for treating crasmodated metastatic colorectal cancer demonstrated the safety and efficacy of combining onvansertib with standard chemotherapy. The study revealed improved objective response rates and progression-free survival, showing promising outcomes for patients with limited treatment options. Amplyer Therapeutics' Phase 2A trial with NAMA-Fotenib in pancreatic cancer patients aims to enhance treatment efficacy and improve survival rates. The approval of an investigational new drug application by the FDA for combining NAMA-Fotenib with Fulfurinox further expands treatment opportunities in pancreatic cancer.
The latest episode of the DDW Highlights podcast is now available to listen to below. DDW’s Megan Thomas narrates five key stories of the week to keep DDW subscribers up-to-date on the latest industry updates.
In the same week that it was revealed that breast cancer was the most studied disease area in 2023 for the third year running, there were a number of promising developments in the treatment of colorectal, pancreatic and lung cancer and leukaemia.