Biological therapy is a cancer treatment that uses living organisms. These organisms or substances can either be taken from the patient’s body or made in a laboratory. The biological therapy assists in repairing, improving, and stimulating the body’s immune system. The use of this therapy is growing since it does not create severe symptoms that patients cannot bear and it can be used for all types of cancer, such as lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and others. Moreover, biological therapy can be done in several forms, including Bacillus calmette-guerin therapy, angiogenesis inhibitors, cytokine therapy, immune checkpoint modulators, oncolytic virus therapy, and many others. All of these factors are assisting in the global cancer biologics market, according to OMR Research, and the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period (2023–2029).
Segments of the Market
The global cancer biologics market is segmented on the basis of type and distribution channel. Based on type, the market is sub-segmented into vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and cell and gene therapy. Based on distribution channel, the market is sub-segmented into hospitals and clinics.
Type
Vaccines
Vaccines are a type of antigen that alerts the body about cancer cells by impersonating them, and the patient's immune system recognizes and eliminates these antigens from the body. This process imprints the memory of cancer cells in the body’s immune system, which makes it prepared for cancer cell attacks in the future. These vaccines can be personalized and made for a specific type of body or common antigens. Some examples of cancer vaccines include sipuleucel-T (Provenge), Cervarix, Gardasil-9, and others.
Monoclonal Antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies’ work is somewhat similar to that of vaccines; however, it is inorganic. These are immune system proteins that are created in a lab. This is a type of targeted cancer treatment that targets specific proteins in the body to control cancer cells’ growth, bifurcation, and spread. Some monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, mark cancer cells, which helps the immune system recognize those cells and eliminate them.
Cell and Gene Therapy
Cell and gene therapy uses living substances or drugs that use the immune system to eliminate cancer. In this treatment, a human-designed new gene, or transgene, is inserted in the patient’s body, which then removes cancer cells and replaces them with normal ones, making the other cells function normally in the body. In addition, the transgene can protect normal cells from other cancer drugs and treatments’ side effects and toxicity.
Recent Developments
AbbVie Inc., Amgen Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Atra Zeneca, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Cue Biopharma, Eli Lilly and Company, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genmab A/S, Novartis International AG, EngeneIC Ltd., Biocon Ltd., Celltrion Healthcare Co., Ltd., Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc, and others are some of the key players in the market that are launching new drugs and technologies to treat cancer patients, investing, and collaborating with other companies to assist in the market’s growth. Some of the recent developments in the market include:
• In November 2022, AbbVie Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration had accepted a priority review of the Biologics License Application for epcoritamab (DuoBody®-CD3xCD20), an investigational subcutaneous bispecific antibody that is created to treat relapsed large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) in adult patients. In addition, in October 2022, the drug received a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) validation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
• In November 2022, WuXi Biologics, a contract research, development, and manufacturing organization, announced the completion of its biologics centers’ Phase II. The 1.6 million square foot facility’s work started in November 2018, and its Phase I was completed in 2020, offering manufacturing and development services for antibodies, complex biologics discovery, and others. The newly inaugurated Phase II provides a drug substance facility and two drug plants.
• In November 2022, the California-based biopharmaceutical startup Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc., stated that the first quarter of 2023 is the anticipated completion date for its ongoing Biologics License Application submission for lifileucel to the US Food and Drug Administration. Lifileucel is an investigational TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte) therapy and a targeted BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy for patients with advanced (metastatic or unresectable) melanoma who progressed during or after prior anti-PD-1/L1 therapy. No FDA-approved treatments are available in this therapeutic environment. Hence, if the company gets FDA approval, cancer patients will be able to receive a new type of treatment.
• In November 2022, Turbine, a biotechnology research company, announced the closing of a Series A funding round with $20.5 million. Mercia and MSD Global Health Innovation (GHI) Fund led the round, which was joined by Day One Capital and other existing investors, including Delin Ventures, Accel, and XTX Ventures. Turbine will use the fund to expand and improve its DNA damage repair programs using simulated cells. This helps in understanding cancer cells and developing efficient drugs.
Conclusion
The increase of various types of cancers globally is influencing market players to offer new treatments that are cost-efficient, reduce side effects and pain for the patient, and are suitable for every cancer patient and every type of cancer. Besides, companies are investing in new facilities for the research and development of new cancer drugs. For instance, GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) plc, a global biopharmaceutical company, launched a high potency facility (HPG) worth $44 million at its New Product Introduction site in Jurong, Singapore. The facility will produce a key ingredient, a cytotoxic component, in ADCs (antibody drug conjugates) to treat cancer. These initiatives by the companies will assist in the market’s growth. In addition, changing lifestyles, diet, immunity, and other factors such as consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and chemicals through vegetables and fruits (which are infested with pesticides and other chemicals to grow crops) are increasing the risk of cancer among all ages, which drives the cancer biologics market further.