War on cancer intensifies

The pipeline for new medicines that treat cancer is stronger than ever, according to a new survey conducted by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

Pharmaceutical companies have a record 316 new cancer medicines in clinical trials or awaiting approval by the Food and Drug Administration. That number rose from 215 reported in 1995.

Potential treatments include chemotherapy drugs and medicines that fight the side effects of chemotherapy, as well as new products that may kill cancer. Medicines in development include gene therapies, monoclonal antibodies that zero in on cancer cells, light-activated medicines that attack tumor sites and vaccines that aid the body's natural cancer-fighting forces.

The 316 medicines target the three leading cancer killers -lung, breast and colon - as well as all other major sites. There are 42 drugs in development for lung cancer, 59 for breast cancer and 35 for colon cancer.

The cancer with the most drugs in development is skin cancer, which has 60 new medicines or vaccines in the pipeline. The cancer with the fewest drugs in development is Neuroblastoma, which has five.

Alan Holmer, president of PhRMA, said "The record number of medicines in development for cancer shows the commitment of the pharmaceutical industry to finding a cure for this terrible disease." PR