Indian pharmaceutical companies are making investments in biologics in response to the growing need for safe and efficient therapies, particularly for cancer.
Experts noted that biologics, which were formerly controlled by small molecules, are now starting to take center stage in cancer treatment. This development was noted during the Convention on Pharmaceutical Ingredients (CPHI), which came to a close on Thursday.
Biologic medications are in greater demand worldwide, especially for the management of chronic illnesses, autoimmune diseases, and complicated diseases like cancer. “Indian companies are trying to get into this growing market and offer cutting-edge treatment options,” stated Dr. Sanjay Chaturvedi, CEO of Apitoria Pharma, the pharmaceutical branch of Aurobindo Pharma.
Based on estimates of $120 billion from data and analytics company GlobalData, the change heralds a new age in personalized medicine and suggests that by 2027, biologics will outsell novel small molecules in terms of sales revenue.
“Biosimilars hold the same potential for biopharmaceutical products, just as generics have reduced costs and increased accessibility to conventional pharmaceuticals,” stated Mahesh Bhalgat, COO at Syngene International.
Small molecules have historically accounted for 80% of the pharmaceutical market due to their simplicity, chemical production, variety of modes of action, adaptability as an administration route, and affordability (GlobalData’s Drugs Database).
On the other hand, biologic medications, which are produced using sophisticated biotechnological techniques and derived from living creatures, comprise a range of molecular types, such as cell treatments and monoclonal antibodies. These biologics provide a variety of approaches to cure diseases and ailments that were previously incurable but lacked substitute treatments. Biologics have become more and more important in research and development since the early 1980s, when genetic engineering first emerged.
Targeting particular molecules and processes linked to cancer, biologics are becoming increasingly successful as a result of advancements in research and development.
“CAR T-cell therapy and checkpoint inhibitors are examples of innovations that use the immune system to fight cancer. Biologics are the recommended option for many cancer types, despite the fact that they can be more expensive than conventional chemotherapy due to their greater efficacy, safety, and reduced side effects. This suggests that biologics would likely continue to rule the Indian market for cancer treatments, according to Dr. Poonam Patil, a consultant in medical oncology at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore.
“Biologics are the best option for treating cancer because of their accuracy and adaptability. Significant pharmaceutical investments in biologics have resulted from the high demand for effective and safe therapies, securing their leading position in cancer care, according to Dr. C. S. Madhu, Senior Consultant and Head of Oncology at Lourdes Hospital, Cochin.
Although biologics make up 51% of cancer medications, they significantly predominate in solid tumor indications, making up 64% of treatments as opposed to 34% for small molecules. When compared to all medications in the database, where biologics make up less than 20%, this noticeable disparity is even more apparent, according to GlobalData.
Treatment-related difficulties with solid tumors include aberrant vasculature that impedes drug administration. According to Jasper Morley, a Drugs Intelligence Analyst at GlobalData, “progress in cancer research has enabled the development of biologics to overcome such obstacles associated with solid tumors, paving the way for the dominance of this molecule type in this indication.”
Small compounds are less successful at penetrating solid tumors than biologics, which use a variety of techniques to precisely target cancer cells. For example, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies target cancer-specific antigens by genetically modifying a patient’s T cells; this is a more targeted approach than typical small drugs. Gilead Sciences’ Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) is an example of a successful CAR T immunotherapy; sales of this medication are expected to reach almost $2.5 billion in
Experts assert that because biologics are generated from living systems, patient safety must be prioritized and regulations should be put in place.”They must undergo extensive testing to uphold strict safety and efficacy requirements on their path to become the industry leader in cancer therapy. Accessibility at a reasonable cost is important, but patient care should never be sacrificed. According to Professor Bejon Kumar Misra, Founder Director of the Patient Safety and Access Initiative of the India Foundation, strengthening the country’s regulatory structure is critically essential to strike a careful balance between innovation and patient safety.