At the Forefront of Innovative Approaches to Cancer

Leaders of New Jersey’s life sciences and medtech trade associations discuss the falling cancer death rate as Garden State firms continue developing drugs to wipe out or stave off cancer.

By Debbie Hart, President & CEO, BioNJ On Dec 14, 2022

Living Longer, Fuller Lives

New Jersey’s biopharmaceutical industry is making extraordinary advancements in the fight against cancer. This is resulting in more effective therapies and bringing new hope to those living with the disease.

More people than ever before are living longer and fuller lives after a cancer diagnosis. Thanks to innovation from America’s biopharmaceutical research companies, the cancer death rate has fallen 32% from its peak in 1991. There are 18 million survivors in the US as of January 2022, with that number expected to increase to 26 million by 2040. Almost 50% of the total U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) pipeline is for new cancer treatments and 27% of new drug and biologics approvals in the US today are for cancer.

With nearly 800 medicines for chronic diseases in development, 322 are for cancer – 98 coming from companies with a footprint in New Jersey.

Oncology trials reached historically high levels in 2021, up 56% from 2016. In New Jersey alone, there are more than 4,500 oncology clinical trials taking place.

BioNJ is inspired by, and privileged to work, with our member companies who are committed to seeking important new therapies and providing hope for patients and their families around the world.

Cutting-Edge Methods Treat a Wide Range of Cancers

By Dean J. Paranicas, President and CEO, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey New Jersey is in the thick of the battle against the more than 200 diseases known as cancer, standing second only to California in cancer drug development. New Jersey’s biopharmaceutical, biotech and medical technology communities have contributed to an astonishing nearly one -third (32%) decrease in cancer’s mortality rate over the past 30 years, together with a recent 2.2% one-year decline in death rates, the largest-such drop ever recorded.

New Jersey’s life sciences are at the forefront of new and innovative approaches – such as mRNA, immunotherapies, gene editing, oncolytic viral therapies, nanomedicines, and antibody drug conjugates – that continue to save lives and advance global human health. These cutting-edge methods are helping scientists and researchers at both our small and large companies innovate and develop treatments and potential cures for a wide range of cancers – including breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, kidney cancer, blood, prostate and colorectal cancers and hematology, acute myeloid leukemia, adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, glioblastoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and genitourinary cancer – as well as precision medicine.

With over 1,300 cancer drugs and vaccines currently in development and an average of 68% of them likely to be designated as “first-in-class” (a new and unique mechanism for treating a disease), this life-saving trend promises to continue.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

Related Articles: