Unravelling the complexities of cancer: A path forward

Unravelling the complexities of cancer: A path forward

Cancer, a word that echoes across the world, is one of the most formidable health challenges of our time. It is a complex, multifaceted disease that continues to pose significant hurdles for medical science. This year the World Health Organisation reports, “In 2022, there were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths. The estimated number of people who were alive within 5 years following a cancer diagnosis was 53.5 million. About 1 in 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime, approximately 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women die from the disease1”. Cancer’s impact is not just a statistic – it is a global crisis that touches every community and every family.?

Cancers are a group of diseases characterised by the unregulated growth of malignant cells that have the potential to metastasise to other parts of the body.?There are more than 200 different types of cancer, each with its unique set of challenges2. The fight against cancer continues to need a multifaceted approach, combining scientific innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to patient care. The pharmaceutical industry plays a pivotal role. To continue making strides in this fight, the industry must persist in its commitment to innovation and research. This includes the development of new small molecule chemotherapeutics and the optimisation of existing ones. Optimising small molecule drugs begins with the investment in technologies that improve drug delivery and reduce side effects.?

However, the journey from the lab to the oncology patient is filled with challenges. Some of the key challenges include API solubility and formulation stability—two critical factors that can make the difference between a successful treatment and a missed opportunity. As modern drugs have increased in complexity over time, their aqueous solubility is compromised, presenting a challenge for formulation stability. In addition, the use of excipients which contain impurities can compromise final formulation stability. This results in:??

  • Regulatory challenges?
  • Delayed drug approval?
  • Reduced speed to market?
  • A high-risk treatment will be delayed

Solubility and stability issues are especially common in small molecule oncology drugs. These issues can cause the drug to fall outside the target profile in terms of shelf-life, bioavailability, or even injection site irritation caused by poor solubilisation. A shelf life of 12 months is typically required for a drug product to be approved, and the right excipients can help achieve this.??

Over 35 million new cancer cases are predicted in 2050, a 77% increase from the estimated 20 million cases in 20221.?We recognise the need for excipients that can improve aqueous solubility and allow oncology application formulators to create ultra-stable formulations to avoid API degradation over time and extend drug shelf-life to the desired target profile.?

On Tuesday 25 June we will hold an exclusive webinar for oncology applications. During our webinar we will evaluate stability data of several small molecule drugs for cancer belonging to the…?

  • Microtubule inhibitor drug class (docetaxel, paclitaxel)?
  • Topoisomerase inhibitors (etoposide)?
  • Hormone-based oncology drugs (fulvestrant).?

We will show you how we can optimise oncological drug delivery resulting in long-term formulation stability, extended drug shelf life, and ultimately improved drug performance and efficacy.??

?Key topics will include:?

  • Presentation on our offerings for small molecule API delivery, with a focus on the parenteral administration route and the role of purity.? ?
  • Evaluation of the stability of several well-known small molecule APIs for oncology formulated with Super Refined? versus standard, compendial-grade excipients.? ?
  • Preview of our offerings for large molecule therapy development for oncology, such as mAbs and nucleic acid-based cancer therapies, from upstream to downstream biomanufacturing.?

Together, let's unlock new solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in oncology drug development and redefine the boundaries of what is possible in the fight against cancer.?

Register here: https://www.crodapharma.com/en-gb/oncology-webinar??

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References

1.??? https://www.who.int/news/item/01-02-2024-global-cancer-burden-growing--amidst-mounting-need-for-services??

2.??? https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/what-is-cancer/how-cancer-starts/types-of-cancer??

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