RDPAC released the reportFaces of Innovation: Meeting the Challenge of Cancer
[January 19, 2017, Guangzhou] With the 16th“World Cancer Day” approaching on February 4, the R&D Based Pharmaceutical Association Committee of the China Association of Enterprises together with Foreign Investment (RDPAC) releasedFaces of Innovation: Meeting the Challenge of Cancerin Guangzhou today. The report not only outlines the critical situation and heavy burden caused by cancer in China and the whole world, but also demonstrates the potential benefits of enhancing drug innovation and improving drug accessibility for extending patient life expectancy, improving the patient quality of life and reducing the burden of disease on society.
Dr. Karl Lintel, RDPAC Executive Committee member
Dr. Karl Lintel, RDPAC Executive Committee member, said “government, social organizations, enterprises and individuals should collaboratively promote research and development of innovative medicines and therapies, and proactively improve patients’ accessibility, so as to accelerate the realization of the goals of cancer prevention and treatment in China.”
With 2.81 million deaths every year, cancer has become a serious disease burden to China
With an estimated 4.29 million new cancer cases diagnosed in 2015, China accounted for over one fifth of the world’s cancer diagnoses. It estimated that 2.81 million people died from cancer in 2015.[1]The 5-year survival rate of all cancers in China was estimated at 36.9%,[1] compared to 70% in the United States in 2012.[2]Cancer prevention has become an important public health issue in China, with the disease placing a heavy burden on families the medical system. Among all cancers, treatment of colorectal cancer and esophageal cancer in Chinese urban areas incurs the highest costs, approximately 10,000USD per capita.[3]
As China’s population, in particular its elderly population, continues to grow, cancer poses a serious challenge to the country. China’s primary task in cancer today is to use integrated cancer intervention, screening and early diagnosis and treatment to reduce the burden of treatment, cure or expand patients’ life expectancy and improve the survival rate.
Mortality has been reduced by 23% over the past 20 years, with 80% due to innovative treatment
Mike Dethick, Managing Director of RDPAC
Mike Dethick, Managing Director of RDPAC introduced that February 4th marks the annual “World Cancer Day” designated by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), a day aiming to promote cooperation and accelerate progress in cancer research, prevention, treatment and other fields through innovation. The theme of World Cancer Day in 2017 is “WE CAN, I CAN”. The optimism and determination expressed in this slogan is supported by actual resultsand progress delivered through drug innovation and investment.
Prof. Wu Yilong, President of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology
“Take lung cancer as example,” says Prof. Wu Yilong, President of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO). “Today, patients in the terminal stage have a life expectancy of 4 or even 5 years, compared to an original one year. This is a huge improvement, and it relies on the continued development of new innovative medicine. ”
Dr. Katrin Rupalla, Head of Development of Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D China
“Over the last 20 years, there have been remarkable improvements made in research for cancer treatment,” says Dr. Katrin Rupalla, Head of Development of Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D China. “According to 2016 data from the America Cancer Association, the highest mortality rate was seen in the early 1990s, and this number has since declined by 23%. About 83% of this reduction was due to new treatments for cancer.[4]From surgery, chemotherapy and targeted therapy to the latest immuno-oncology (I-O) treatments and gene therapy, we are more and more confident that we can conquer cancer through continuous improvements in research and development, as well as deeper research in the cancer genome atlas.”
Dr. Frances Chang, Vice President of Roche China Medical Affairs.
“A recent report from PhRMA showed that as of late 2015, there were more than 800 cancer medicines in development, while 73% of cancer medicines had the potential to become “Personalized Medicines,”[5]Dr. Frances Chang, Vice President of Roche China Medical Affairs. “There is no doubt that precision medicine is an important method for cancer prevention and treatment in the future. On the one hand It uses diagnostic tools to identify specific genetic markers, on the other hand it uses traditional clinical trial data, advanced diagnosis and testing data and real world data, to help assess which medical treatments and procedures will be best for each patient to prolong and improve their life.”
Making joint efforts to improve accessibility of drugs and benefit patients as early as possible
Based on the latest research from IMS, China still ranked far behind the US, UK and other developed countries in the accessibility of new cancer drugs from 2010-2014. Only 6 new drugs among a total 49 are on the Chinese market for patients to use.[6]“A decade ago, it would take eight to ten years for a new targeted therapy to enter the market,” says Prof. Wu Yilong. “Nowadays it only needs 2-3 years, and it will be even faster in the future. However, it takes about 3-5 more years for new drugs to enter the Chinese market. In recent years, the situation has been greatly improved by the efforts made by all parties working together, and more patients will be benefited if the speed further accelerates. From the long-term perspective, it is crucial to improve the top-level design of cancer prevention and drug innovation and enhance research in genetic sequencing from the national level in order to tackle the challenges in cancer treatment. We can also learn from the experience of Western countries. We hope that, in the near future, cancer can be considered a chronic disease just the same as hypertension and diabetes, something people could live with.”
[1]Wanqing Chen, et al. Cancer Statistics in China, 2015.CA Cancer J Clin. 2016;66:115-32
[2]American Association for Cancer Research. AACR Cancer Progress Report 2014. Clin Cancer Res. 2014;20(Suppl 1):S1-S112
[3]Hui-Yao, Huang et al. Expenditure and financial burden for common cancers in China: a hospital-based multicenter cross-sectional study, 2016
[4]E.Sun, et al. The Determinants of Recent Gains in Cancer Survival: An Analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results(SEER) Database, Journal of Clinical Oncology, May 2008.
[5]PHRMA, Medicines in Development for Cancer, 2015.
[6]IMS Institute for Health Care Informatics, Global Oncology Trend Report: A Review of 2015 and Outlook for 2020
