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Cancer Treatment Market for VEGF Inhibitors to Reach
$5.3 Billion by 2009
Avastin (bevacizumab), introduction of novel agents
to drive growth; VEGF inhibitors also used for AMD
Nov. 29, 2005 A leading research and advisory
firm on health care said today that the market for vascular endothelial
growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors for the treatment of cancer will grow
from $550 million in 2004 to almost $5.3 billion in 2009. The news is
sure to catch the attention of senior citizens - the most frequent
cancer victims, because it is the VEGF inhibiting process that is also being used
successfully against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading
cause of blindness in older people.
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If the prediction is correct it would mean the
ability of the VEGF inhibitors to at least slow the development of
cancers and AMD will work. And, it also points to possible new
treatments for other diseases by this class of drugs.
Decision Resources, Inc., has released the new
Pharmacor report entitled VEGF Inhibitors, which says the growth in this
market will be fueled by increased sales of the only currently-
available cancer drug in this class -- Genentech/Roche's Avastin (bevacizumab)
-- as well as the introduction of novel agents during the next ten
years.
"In addition to Avastin's market expansion in the
U.S., Europe and Japan for treating metastatic colorectal cancer, the
market will also be driven by the launch of Avastin for treating other
cancers and the launch of new small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors
of the VEGF receptors," said Mohamed Muhsin, analyst at Decision
Resources, Inc.
"These therapies include Bayer/Onyx
Pharmaceuticals' sorafenib and Pfizer's sutent (sunitinib) for
chemotherapy refractory renal cell carcinoma; Novartis/Schering AG's
vatalanib for colorectal cancer; and AstraZeneca's Zactima (ZD-6474) for
treating recurrent/refractory non-small-cell lung cancer."
In a report in The Oncologist, published last June,
Napoleone Ferrara of Genentech wrote, "The development of a vascular
supply is a critical factor in the growth and metastatic spread of
malignant tumors. Of the multitude of growth factors that regulate
physiological and pathological angiogenesis, vascular endothelial growth
factor (VEGF) is believed to be the most important."
"Moreover," he wrote, "recent work has shown that
inhibiting tumor angiogenesis increases the effectiveness of
co-administered chemotherapy and radiotherapy."
(Click
here to "Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor as a Target for Anticancer
Therapy")
FDA Approval of Avastin (bevacizumab)
On February 26, 2004, the FDA announced it had
approved Avastin (bevacizumab) as a first-line treatment for patients
with metastatic colorectal cancer -- cancer that has spread to other
parts of the body. Avastin, a monoclonal antibody, became the first
product to be approved that works by preventing the formation of new
blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis.
Avastin was shown to extend patients' lives by
about five months when given intravenously as a combination treatment
along with standard chemotherapy drugs for colon cancer (the "Saltz
regimen" also known as IFL). IFL treatment includes ironotecan,
5-fluorouracil (5FU) and leucovorin.
Avastin is a genetically engineered version of a
mouse antibody that contains both human and mouse components.
(Antibodies are substances produced by the body's immune system to fight
foreign substances.) Special technology also allows it to be produced in
large quantities in the laboratory.
This new monoclonal antibody is believed to work by
targeting and inhibiting the function of a natural protein called
"vascular endothelial growth factor" (VEGF) that stimulates new blood
vessel formation.
When VEGF is targeted and bound to Avastin, it
cannot stimulate the growth of blood vessels, thus denying tumors blood,
oxygen and other nutrients needed for growth.
Angiogenesis inhibitors such as Avastin have been
studied, first in the laboratory and then in patients, for three decades
with the hope they might prevent the growth of cancer. This is the first
such product that has been proven to delay tumor growth and more
importantly, significantly extend the lives of patients.
"The approval of Avastin is the result of many
years of research and development exploring a promising new approach to
fighting cancer, and it is one of a number of recent new treatments for
colorectal cancer that taken together, have significantly improved the
armamentarium for fighting this disease," said Mark B. McClellan, M.D.,
Ph.D., FDA Commissioner at the time.
Colorectal cancer -- cancer of the colon or rectum
-- is the third most common cancer affecting men and women in the U.S.
and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
is the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Colorectal cancer
is also one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the U.S.;
approximately 147,500 new cases were diagnosed in 2003.
Avastin is manufactured by Genentech, Inc., South
San Francisco, Calif.
For more on Avastin (bevacizumab) go to this page
at FDA -
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/avastin/default.htm
About Angiogenesis and AMD
"Angiogenesis plays an important role in a variety
of pathologic processes including proliferative retinopathies,
age-related macular degeneration (AMD), rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis
and cancer," said an article published October 28 in Highlights of
Ophthalmology.
"Recognition of the central role of VEGF-A in
angiogenesis has led to the hypothesis that its inhibition may represent
a novel and effective approach to the treatment of choroidal neovascular
membranes in wet-AMD and other conditions characterized by pathologic
angiogenesis.
"The recent FDA approval of Macugen (EyeTech,
Pfizer) in the United States represents a new age in the management of
choroidal neovascular membranes associated to AMD. Up until now the
management of Wet AMD was limited to the use of photodynamic therapy
with Verteporfin (Visudyne - Novartis). The future management of wet AMD
will probably consist of a combination or alternation between
photodynamic therapy and VEGF related medications," the article said.
Wet AMD is the leading cause of irreversible vision
loss in patients over the age of 45 in Europe and the USA.
For the complete article on AMD
click here.
About Angiogenesis
Angiogenesis (angio'gen'esis) is the growth of new
blood vessels and is an important natural process occurring in the body,
both in health and in disease. For more information about this process
go to the Angiogenesis Foundation
http://www.angio.org/.
About VEGF Inhibitors
VEGF plays an important role in tumor angiogenesis
(formation of blood vessels) and maintenance of existing tumor vessels.
Inhibiting VEGF via different mechanisms has shown promise as a cancer
treatment strategy in several clinical trials but the only
currently-available VEGF inhibitor is Avastin. Potential exists for
other VEGF inhibitors that can be used in synergy with existing
therapies, and that offer improved side effect profiles or efficacies.
About Pharmacor and Decision Resources
Pharmacor is a unique family of studies that
assesses a host of market- impacting factors and analyzes the commercial
outlook for drugs in research and development.
Decision Resources, Inc., (http://www.decisionresources.com/)
is a world leader in market research publications, advisory services,
and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate
resources, and master their chosen markets.
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