Science and policy are on the frontline in the battle against cancer

At BMS and other research-based biopharmaceutical companies, innovation is applied in pursuit of answers for many cancer types. Patients bear these illnesses. Caregivers, and the relatives and friends of cancer patients, feel the devastating impact, too.

Scientists’ task is made urgent by the incidence of cancer, as well as by the mortality rate. The numbers are startling.

• Over 35 million new cancer cases are predicted globally in 2050 – a 77% increase from the estimated 20 million cases in 2022ⁱ.
• Cancer causes almost a quarter of all deaths in the EU27, Norway and Icelandⁱⁱ.
• By 2035, deaths from cancer are projected to outpace deaths from cardiovascular disease in the EUⁱⁱⁱ.
• Almost a third of men and a quarter of women in the EU are expected to get cancer before the age of 75^iv.

European Week Against Cancer is an important time to remember people living with cancer and those who have died from the disease. It is a moment, too, to recall scientific progress made so far – with more to come – in the battle against cancer.

Ambitious targets

The EU, through Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the EU Cancer Mission, has set ambitious targets to tackle cancer, as well as urging a better understanding of the disease and the adoption of innovation in early detection, diagnosis and treatment. The EU4Health Program, with a budget of €5.3 billion until 2027, promises “stronger, more resilient and more accessible health systems.” Policymakers aim to improve the lives of more than three million Europeans affected by cancer by 2030^v.

According to the European Commission, about 40% of cancer cases are preventable^vi. That makes more urgent the need for better screening for many cancers including breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, prostate and gastric. The chances of recovery for cancer patients rise with early diagnosis. Increasing rates for certain vaccinations, especially for HPV and HBV, for example, can help to prevent cervical cancer and the Hepatitis B virus infection and associated cancers, respectively.

Closing the gap in European patients’ ability to access screening interventions and new treatments, including oncology medicines, is a goal shared by policy, industry, patient advocacy and clinical leaders. But many European health systems struggle to adopt innovation at scale and speed^vii. Faster clinical assessments and agile regulatory pathways should have a role in accelerating patients’ access to new medicines. But unless governments reform how they deliver and fund innovation nationally, many European cancer patients may not be able to get the latest treatments available elsewhere in the world.

Science

Science is a powerful tailwind in the fight against cancer. Cancer is a dynamic area for clinical research, accounting for 38% of all products in the industry’s pipeline^viii. Treatments for cancer are growing, and getting more effective and personalized. Machine learning and artificial intelligence are accelerating research. Scientists can harness vast amounts of clinical, real-world and translational data, generating insights that can lead to breakthroughs. All this means they can move at greater speed and with more precision.

BMS is a pioneer in immunotherapy, an approach that arms the body to fight cancer, and we are continuing to advance our work in immuno-oncology, cell therapy and targeted protein degradation. These research areas have the potential to improve cancer patients’ outcomes for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.

Cell therapy

Cell therapy modifies the body's own immune cells to recognize and attack cancer. This is revolutionizing the treatment of some blood cancers. In the future, it could become an option to treat solid tumors and autoimmune diseases. Cell therapy is a major shift in the paradigm of cancer care.

Realizing the clinical benefits of cell therapy for more European patients demands that policymakers and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) bodies think differently about how they assess and value these treatments. Policymakers must recognize the unique challenges and costs in developing and delivering these innovative treatments. At BMS, we want to be part of a dialogue that leads to broader access to cell therapy for European patients. For that, it is vital that HTAs and reimbursement policies be adapted to take account of the complex clinical challenges to develop evidence that meets all stakeholders’ needs. This is essential to fully capture the unique health and economic benefits of cell therapy.

Partnerships

Innovators, acting alone, cannot beat cancer. It takes a community of actors working together. BMS’ scientific teams explore all angles of cancer research, amplified through strategic collaborations with external partners, including industry and academic organizations. Our mission is not just to help reduce prevalence and mortality rates in cancer. It is to contribute, too, to reducing inequalities in cancer care. A recent study highlights the inequalities in some European countries’ cancer care spending, in how they deploy resources and in survival rates^ix. BMS supports a project by the European Cancer Organization which gathers data about the various dimensions of cancer inequality, and identifies gaps and policy solutions that can be actioned nationally and at European level.

BMS is part of several collaborations aimed at improving global cancer care. One of them, All.Can, where BMS is a founding member, is active in 12 European countries. The multi-stakeholder initiative aims to make cancer care more efficient by reducing waste across the cancer care pathway. All.Can has supplied recommendations to strengthen healthcare systems, guide research and inform governments’ cancer plans. It has identified more than 50 efficiency best practices that can help organizations to identify and implement solutions for common problems.

Innovation framework

As governments consider the proposed revision of the General Pharmaceutical Legislation, it is important that they take steps to future-proof the EU’s environment for innovation. Faster access to new medicines, an agile regulatory framework and robust IP incentives are at the heart of a competitive future innovation framework in the EU. In the fight against cancer, that framework is vital.

Innovation, from discovery through to adoption, is a delicate ecosystem that renews itself at every stage of the journey. To survive and grow, the ecosystem needs to be nurtured. Innovators in academia and industry, including BMS, work tirelessly to deliver scientific value.

References:
ⁱ WHO
ⁱⁱOECD
ⁱⁱⁱIHE
^ivEuropean Commission
^vEuropean Commission
^viEuropean Commission
^viiEFPIA
^viiiIQVIA
^ixIHE