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GSK is Focused on Oncology
Posted on 2005-11-30 13:01:00
At a meeting with analysts today, GlaxoSmithKline executives told the audience that the company's expanding pipeline features innovative science that addresses a broad range of patient needs for cancer prevention, treatment and supportive care.
GSK's substantial oncology and supportive care portfolio includes New Chemical Entities (NCEs), product line extensions (PLEs) and oncology-related vaccines. Four NCEs highlighted in this seminar are expected to be in phase III development in 2006: Tykerb (lapatinib), eltrombopag ('115), casopitant ('769), and pazopanib ('034).
Tykerb is a targeted oral therapy with the potential to become an essential component in the treatment of breast cance. The latest data demonstrate promise as first-line treatment for advanced breast cancer, with 40% of patients experiencing clinical benefit including tumor reduction or stable disease for at least 24 weeks.
Tykerb's clinical program has been expanded with three new phase III trials being initiated by January 2006,
GSK's Eltrombopag has the potential to become the first oral platelet growth factor for patients suffering from thrombocytopenia, a condition which can lead to uncontrolled bleeding, significantly reduced life expectancy and compromised treatment for cancer or liver disease.
When GSK's Casopitant is combined with Zofran as a new and improved therapy for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and after surgery.
The company's Pazopanib demonstrates prevention of tumor
growth. Consequently an aggressive clinical development program is expected to begin shortly in multiple cancer types including phase III trials in renal cancer.
Paolo Paoletti, Senior Vice President of GSK's Oncology Medicine Development Center, commented: "GSK is pursuing therapies targeting cancer at a molecular level in order to block biochemical pathways that transform normal, healthy human cells into cancer cells. We are particularly excited that the promising efficacy of Tykerb, our targeted dual-kinase inhibitor, has led to support among leading cancer experts for the initiation next year of a large study of Tykerb in the treatment of early stage breast cancer."
Allen Oliff, Senior Vice President of GSK's Oncology Center for Excellence in Drug Discovery, said: "We are very encouraged by the recent clinical data on eltrombopag. This product clearly has the potential to be a significant advance in the treatment of thrombocytopenia, a condition which has few therapeutic options and can lead to sub-optimal treatment for patients suffering from a number of conditions including cancer and liver disease."
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