BMS and Merck in race to dominate head and neck cancer market
There is a potential difference of hundreds of millions of dollars in sales at stake across therapy lines between the first-to-market product and the runner-up, says GlobalData
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) and Merck & Co. are set to continue their strong rivalry in the head and neck cancer space, as their respective PD-1 inhibitory monoclonal antibodies, Opdivo and Keytruda, race to enter the market, according to an analyst with research and consulting firm GlobalData.
Both drugs have shown promise in clinical trials, and are therefore set to make waves across the head and neck cancer market which, as stated in GlobalData’s most recent Head and Neck Cancer report, will grow rapidly to more than $1.5 billion by 2024.
Amy Yip, Ph.D., GlobalData's Analyst covering Oncology & Hematology, says: “Recent trials evaluating Opdivo’s efficacy in recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, found that it resulted in a 30% reduction in the risk of death, and a significant improvement compared to the only targeted agent currently approved for the disease, Eli Lilly’s Erbitux (cetuximab).
“Keytruda, on the other hand, in a single-arm Phase Ib trial, was found to produce an overall response rate of 24.8%, including a complete response in one patient. This compares favourably with the 10-15% response rate commonly reported for Erbitux monotherapy. In this way, as both Opdivo and Keytruda have shown significant superiority over current standard treatments, their success could depend on how soon they are approved by the FDA.”
As the first to file, Keytruda could become the first checkpoint inhibitor to reach the market. However, a filing for Opdivo is expected to occur soon, and is likely to gain full FDA approval on the strength of BMS’ Phase III data. Opdivo’s recently-awarded breakthrough therapy designation for head and neck cancers should also expedite the FDA approval process. If both agents gain a second-line approval, it will be difficult to predict which of the two will garner the larger market share, and the implications for BMS and Merck could vary widely.
Yip explains: “Even in a decidedly niche indication such as head and neck cancer, there is a potential difference of hundreds of millions of dollars in sales at stake across therapy lines between the first-to-market product and the runner-up. GlobalData believes that the pressure on both companies is only going to rise while the race between BMS and Merck comes to a close.”
Related News
-
News Patients vs Pharma – who will the Inflation Reduction Act affect the most?
The Inflation Reduction Act brought in by the Biden administration in 2022 aims to give better and more equitable access to healthcare in the USA. However, pharma companies are now concerned about the other potential costs of such legislation. -
News CPHI Podcast Series: What does the changing US Pharma market mean for industry and patients alike?
In this week's episode of the CPHI Podcast Series Lucy Chard, Digital Editor for CPHI Online is joined by James Manser to discuss the political and market changes in the US pharma field. -
News CPHI Barcelona Annual Report illuminates industry trends for 2024
The CPHI Annual Survey comes into it’s 7th year to report on the predicted trends for 2024. Over 250 pharma executives were asked 35 questions, with their answers informing the industry landscape for the next year, spanning all major pharma marke... -
News Which 10 drugs are open to price negotiation with Medicare in the USA?
The Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services, under the Biden administration in the USA, has released a list of the 10 drugs that will be open to price negotiations as part of the new legislation under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). -
News EU Medical Devices Regulation causes unintended disappearances of medical devices for children, doctors state
Doctor groups and associations have appealed to the EU to correct the EU Medical Devices Regulation law that may cause unintended shortages of essential drug and medical devices for children and rare disease patients. -
News 10 Major Drug Approvals So Far in 2023
Last year, 37 novel drugs were approved by the FDA, this was a high number for such a category, and covered many fields including oncology, demonstrating how promising further research is, and how it is only continuing to build. To date, there are alre... -
News Detecting Alzheimer's disease with a simple lateral flow test
A novel rapid diagnostic test for early-stage Alzheimer's disease has been developed using a biomarker binder from Aptamer Group along with technology from Neuro-Bio, the neurodegenerative disease experts. -
News CPHI Podcast Series: outsourcing and manufacturing trends
Listen to the CPHI Podcast Series this June to hear Gil Roth of the PBOA speak with Digital Editor Lucy Chard about the biggest trends and topics to watch in pharma outsourcing and manufacturing at the minute.
Position your company at the heart of the global Pharma industry with a CPHI Online membership
-
Your products and solutions visible to thousands of visitors within the largest Pharma marketplace
-
Generate high-quality, engaged leads for your business, all year round
-
Promote your business as the industry’s thought-leader by hosting your reports, brochures and videos within your profile
-
Your company’s profile boosted at all participating CPHI events
-
An easy-to-use platform with a detailed dashboard showing your leads and performance