On June 22, 2022 LUNGevity Foundation, the nation’s leading lung cancer-focused nonprofit organization, reported a study analyzing the current global lung cancer drug development landscape (Press release, LUNGevity Foundation, JUN 22, 2022, View Source [SID1234616195]). The manuscript, which was recently published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, reveals the impressive progress that has been made in the lung cancer therapy space and points to an increased need for comprehensive biomarker testing at earlier stages of the disease.

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The authors of the report curated a comprehensive list of lung cancer therapeutic entities (TEs) in preclinical development and clinical trials using publicly available sources. Of the TEs identified, the majority are focused on non-small cell lung cancer and are in the clinical trial stage of development. Targeted therapies for major oncogenic driver targets, such as ALK, EGFR, KRAS, and BRAF, also dominate the landscape.

"Lung cancer has been a proving ground for precision medicine, and we’ve seen several improvements in targeted therapies in recent years," said Amy Moore, PhD, vice president of global engagement and patient partnerships at LUNGevity. "However, we need to consider how these new drugs add value to patients and improve outcomes. Having a holistic landscape of these drugs will help drive future innovation in the areas that need it most."

The report found that new treatment approaches are being developed and tested for both non-small cell and small cell lung cancer, including new classes of drugs such as protein degraders. The analysis also indicates that lung cancer treatment will become increasingly biomarker driven, even for immunotherapy regimens. Also, as more targeted therapies and immunotherapies are being developed for early-stage lung cancer, there will be an increased need for biomarker testing to be implemented at earlier stages of the disease.

The analysis also found that, while there are a wide variety of therapies in development for both small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, many of the current therapies in development focus on PD-1 inhibition, for which there are already approved drugs. As targeted therapies continue to be developed, it is important to consider whether there will be enough patients to fill clinical trial recruitment needs and whether there will be oversaturation in the market.

"It’s been highly reassuring to see the number of new breakthroughs for lung cancer therapies, especially for early-stage disease. Researchers are working hard to develop new treatment options so that no patient is left behind," said Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, executive director of research at LUNGevity. "This underscores the need for increased and sustained lung cancer research funding to maintain momentum in this space."

The full text of the manuscript can be accessed from the JTO website. This paper complements LUNGevity’s other work to educate patients about lung cancer treatment options, such as the Lung Cancer Patient Gateways, which provide patients with information on FDA-approved therapies, as well as tools to find clinical trials for their specific subtype of cancer.