Emerging drug DS-8201 could soon spell end of chemotherapy: Report

As importantly, its ability to target cancer cells without affecting normal cells is a key advantage over the take-no-prisoners approach of chemotherapy.

NEW DELHI: A class of drugs is emerging that can attack cancer cells in the body without damaging the healthy ones. They have the potential to replace chemotherapy and its disruptive side effects, reshaping the future of cancer care.

The complex biological medicines, called antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), have been in development for decades, and are now generating renewed excitement because of the success of one ADC in late-stage testing, a breast cancer treatment called DS-8201.

“DS-8201 may become one of the largest cancer biologic drugs,’’ said Caroline Stewart, an analyst, who estimates sales of the drug to eventually approach $12 billion globally.

Analysts say DS-8201 could triple the number of patients who get powerful targeted treatment for breast cancer, the most common tumour in women that kills more than half a million annually.

As importantly, its ability to target cancer cells without affecting normal cells is a key advantage over the take-no-prisoners approach of chemotherapy.

DS-8201’s full potential is still years away, as it will take time for data to validate the drug’s efficacy. Still, the potential of ADCs is already jolting Big Pharma. Roche, whose Herceptin loses patent exclusivity in the US this year, has added ADCs to its portfolio.

About 56 pharmaceutical firms are developing ADC candidates and could be targeted licencing deals from pharmaceuticals anxious for a piece of the ADC pie.

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