Bringing Discovery to Life

Introduction

At the recent Taipei International Breast Cancer Symposium held in October 2000, Pharmacia hosted the welcome dinner and launched the Pharmacia Global Oncology Franchise to renew the company's commitment to bringing better and broader treatment options to people touched by cancer.

Despite significant progress in the treatment of cancer, the disease still ranks as the second leading cause of death throughout the world 1,500 patients die from cancer every day. Pharmacia Oncology believe that innovative research is the foundation of future cancer treatment, with the ultimate goal being to develop new therapies to extend the lives of cancer patients and improve their quality of life.

Targeting Malignancy Pathways

Pharmacia Oncology has taken a targeted approach to the development of new agents by concentrating on the interception of specific pathways of carcinogenesis. The following 5 fundamental characteristics of malignant cell behaviour are currently being addressed:

• uncontrolled proliferation
• unregulated cell division
• cell survival/immortality
• metastasis
• sustained angiogenesis

Strategies associated with growth-factor-signalling inhibitor agents, COX-2 platforms, cytokines, telomerase inhibitors, oncogene targets, and angiogenesis inhibitors are currently being studied.

Developmental Therapies

In the first step towards preventing the disease, research into chemoprevention may shift the cancer treatment paradigm towards beginning treatment before cells become malignant. Celecoxib, a COX-2 specific inhibitor, is being evaluated for possible tumour suppressive and chemo- preventive properties. Celecoxib has been approved in several countries across the world for the treatment of familial adenomatous polyposis.

Recently, Pharmacia Oncology has developed a new class of agents known as aromatase inactivators, which permanently block the aromatase enzyme from converting androgen to oestrogen. This drug class represents a new approach to the elimination of the tumourigenic effects of oestrogen.

Research strategies in cytotoxic chemotherapy have also seen the recent approval in the USA of Camptosar (irinotecan) as first-line treatment for colorectal cancer and Ellence (epirubicin) as adjuvant treatment for breast cancer.

In Conclusion

Overall, Pharmacia Oncology's products cover all the key areas of cancer treatment, including cytotoxic, hormonal, supportive care, and molecular-targeted therapies. The products cover a wide range of cancers that impact on many people's lives. In addition to the new products being developed, Pharmacia Oncology are seeking ways to improve the delivery of currently used agents with tumour-specific delivery systems.

The combination of an efficient drug-developmental process, research expertise, and clinical guidance has en- abled Pharmacia Oncology to develop products that benefit the greatest number of patients. Pharmacia Oncology will continue to help improve cure rates and prevention of this deadly disease by "bringing discovery to life" for every person touched by cancer.