ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED:
12 December 2022
Written by:
Senior Vice President, Global Head of Haematology (Early and Late-Stage), Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca
Vice President, Global Franchise Head of Haematology, AstraZeneca
Blood cancers are among the most diverse and complex family of diseases – with more than 150 types spanning leukaemias, lymphomas and myelomas.1 For the estimated 3.6 million people living with blood cancers worldwide,2 there remains a profound need for new and more effective treatments. At AstraZeneca, we have the bold ambition to redefine standards of care in haematology to help close these gaps and improve patients’ lives.
The heterogeneous nature of blood cancers makes them some of the most challenging to treat, leading to significant gaps in caring for the millions of patients impacted globally.2,3 Advancing a range of therapeutic approaches in haematology is essential – each driven by a deep understanding of this family of diseases and shaped by patient insights.
Our bold ambition to build new standards of care
Our vision is to develop innovative medicines to create novel combinations that will become the new standard of care in haematology. To improve cure rates, we need to identify and treat cancer early in the course of disease, or at the earliest signs of disease relapse. There is also a need for novel treatments targeting the earliest molecular alterations that drive oncogenic transformation. Both aspects are a key for focus for our haematology team.
We know that not all tumours are the same. Each type has a unique set of molecular drivers and requires treatments that address patients’ specific tumour characteristics.4 To this end, we are leveraging our broad discovery capabilities, to build a diverse haematology portfolio.
Our approach to building our pipeline is two-fold:
- First, we are exploring mechanisms that directly kill cancer cells, for example by targeting tumour drivers or delivering chemotherapy directly to cancer cells
- Second, we are investigating ways to activate the immune system to boost the body’s natural defences against cancer
With the emergence of next generation modalities, including antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, T-cell engagers, cell therapies and epigenetic modifiers, we’re unlocking new ways to target cancer, enabling us to build tailored combination treatments based on an individual patient’s disease characteristics. For example, we’re seeing the potential of combining immuno-oncology agents – such as bispecific antibodies, T cell engagers and cell therapies – with modalities like ADCs to drive stronger and more durable responses in the clinic.5
Identifying and treating cancer earlier
As we continue exploring innovative regimens beyond traditional chemotherapy, it will be essential to rapidly test the curative potential earlier in the disease course. The challenge with this early intervention approach is the need to follow up with patients for a long period of time. To be successful, surrogate or intermediate endpoints will need to be established to accelerate the development of the new regimens. At AstraZeneca and beyond, we are exploring the use of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methods to assess minimal residual disease as a possible intermediate endpoint across several disease types.
Expanding our haematology footprint
Across our haematology organisation, we are expanding our commitment to patients by exploring new areas of focus, beyond chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and mantle cell lymphoma. Our current clinical trials are evaluating a range of novel therapeutic approaches in patients with lymphomas, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma, acute myeloid leukaemia and soon to patients with multiple myeloma (MM). To make the greatest impact for haematology patients, we are accelerating development within our clinical portfolio and building on our progress to date via a diverse range of therapeutic approaches.
Taking courageous, science-driven risks
The haematology community has made great strides in cancer treatment. However, this is only possible by taking smart and educated risks, learning from past failures, and applying learnings to future approaches. At AstraZeneca, our science-driven risk-taking strategy is based on the fundamental principle that we do what is right for patients while also pursuing scientific excellence. We continuously seek new approaches and technologies, all with a focus on patient needs.
One of the important areas of innovation we are pursuing that directly supports patients is the continuous evolution of our clinical trials to improve their experience. Through the latest digital developments, we can refine patient selection and recruitment and quickly identify emerging trends within patient sub-groups – with the goal to bring the right medicines to the right patients.
Our ambition to build new standards of care is bold. But that’s what makes coming to work at a place like AstraZeneca every day so exhilarating. We look forward to continuing to innovate and accelerate the discovery and development of transformative therapies for even more patients.
