Multiple Myeloma market
Multiple myeloma represents approximately 1% of all cancers and 10% of all haematological cancers with an estimated 114,000 newly diagnosed cases worldwide in 2012. The disease is currently incurable, with a median (50%) survival rate of 62 months in the USA as of 2014. Despite the existence of several different drug classes for treating multiple myeloma, there is a high unmet need for treatments for multiple myeloma patients relapsing after several lines of therapy.
The total value of the global market for myeloma therapeutics products was US $6 billion in 2013, and is projected by market analysts Datamonitor to continue growing to $8.3bn by 2022, with the US market alone forecast to reach $4bn by then.
The largest single drug by value for multiple myeloma is Revlimid® (one of the thalidomide-class drugs), with forecast revenues of $4.4bn 2017). Iceni’s lead candidate Cilcane® is targeted as a combination therapy for use with proteasome inhibitors such as Velcade® (bortezomib, forecast sales of $1.3bn in 2017), and newer types currently only licensed for use in second and third-line treatments such as Kyprolis® (carfilzomib, $450m in 2017) and the recently approved oral proteasome inhibitor Ninlaro® (ixazomib).
Myeloma treatments are regularly present in the annual ‘top ten drug sales by revenue’ list.
Cilcane® (cilengitide) is a first-in-class treatment for multiple myeloma. Of particular interest is that Cilcane® is intended to be delivered in combination with ALL types of proteasome inhibitors, and does not seek to supplant any existing treatments, but rather is to be administered as an additional ‘bolt-on’ therapy. This includes first generation Velcade® (bortezomib), second generation Kyprolis® (carfilzomib) and additionally the latest third generation oral proteasome inhibitor Ninlaro® (ixazomib). Velcade® (bortezomib), the first clinically approved proteasome inhibitor is currently a front line treatment for multiple myeloma, and its core patent expires in 2017 in the USA. It is anticipated that generic lower cost bortezomib will become available in the clinic for patient use thereafter as an affordable component of a Cilcane®+ bortezomib combination therapy.
Since most multiple myeloma patients are prescribed one or more proteasome inhibitor drugs at some point during their treatment regime, the market for Cilcane® combination therapy is potentially extensive and largely independent of competition at present, since Cilcane® is the only drug of this class which has been in the clinic thus far.
Intellectual Property
Iceni™ Pharmaceuticals has a broad intellectual property portfolio, with patents covering both method of use and product formulations pending in all major territories. All rights are reserved and trademarks are pending or granted in all relevant jurisdictions.
