To the average person, a cure for cancer is priceless. There's no amount too large for fixing what ails a loved one.
But we do know how much it's going to cost for a drug to find its way into the marketplace.
Hint: the first letter begins with a 'B', and there are more than a few commas.
The companies trying to solve this generation's greatest challenge have limited resources. While some have access to capital, it is not enough. The currency of investment is more than a runway -- it's a belief in a promising treatment or therapy.
Investors play a huge role in this fight against cancer -- without them there would not be as many advancements in the cancer community.
As of March 1, it is reported that breast, lung, colon and prostate cancer are the highest funded cancers with almost $2.5 billion dollars invested; breast cancer ranks at the top with $102 million in total funds. Despite the amount of funding breast cancer receives, it is still the most common cancer found in women. So, shouldn't there be a better treatment by now?
Treating breast cancer begins with targeting the presence of estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. When it comes to the lack of these receptors, the issue of Triple Negative Breast Cancer rises. This type of breast cancer is the most aggressive form as it is difficult to both diagnose and respond to current treatments. Breast cancer affects approximately 2,000,000 women in the United States and a handful of men. Of these, 15 percent of women are diagnosed with TNBC.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer ranks the highest among the current federal grants by cancer type in both funded and specific amounts (funded amount: $102,098,479 and specific amount: $74,304,132). How we allocate these funds can determine the fate of finding a better cure.
At ImMAGE Biotherapeutics, we are determined to reduce the costs of breast cancer treatments with an alternative therapy. By harnessing the power of the human immune system, we are developing a drug that will phase out chemotherapy. Non-invasive treatment methods are within reach.
Many other companies are beginning to join our cause. They are learning to conserve resources and stretch funding. TapImmune, a company based in in Jacksonville, Florida, is also focusing on immunotherapy to develop innovative approaches for the treatment of cancer. Their orphan drug, TPIV 200, is in a U.S Department of Defense funded Phase 2 trial for TNBC.
ImMAGE and companies alike are on track to finding a better cure; but with few investment opportunities, the reported amount of funding for breast cancer can feel scarce at times. Gaining traction and accelerating efforts will require the support of a triple threat: venture capitalists, government organizations and the academic community.
We know this is a bold proposition. The odds of graduating a tech startup from seed round to Series B is just 7 percent. The numbers are less favorable for biotech and life sciences startups attempting to bring drug candidates to the marketplace. There are many obstacles -- whether in the laboratory or through regulatory.
In 2016, companies are using computer software to analyze possible treatments. This way, scientists and engineers can use predictive analysis to rule out candidates with little promise. It's reducing the amount of trial and error, and money spent on failed tests. At ImMAGE Biotherapeutics, we are attempting to create a risk-free algorithm for drug development of better candidates. We are also experimenting with administration through electroporation -- a delivery system that shocks the cells to open temporarily to get DNA right into the nucleus. This approach mimics viruses, but in a safer environment.
Unlocking funds for this type of work requires a quicker turnaround from government organizations. A startup with successful in-vitro or animal trials could leverage the results with the venture capital community. However, the National Science Foundation or National Institutes of Health might take six to nine months to respond. This could be detrimental for a young company in need of cash flow. It's time for the public sector to prioritize research grants and development funds for immunotherapy.
This is also a time when data sharing can play a vital role in the fight against cancer. Something as simple as data sharing is now seen as exciting and innovative. With the White House's "Moonshot" initiative followed by Sean Parker's cancer immunotherapy announcement, cancer is officially trendy. Let's leverage this momentum and continue the discussion. The Parker Foundation has invested $250 million into cancer immunotherapy to develop The Immunotherapy Dream Team which includes leaders from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Stanford Medicine, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Pennsylvania. We are capable of going beyond the six institutes that are involved in the effort. There are hundreds of companies working against each other to be the first to come up with the solution; but instead of working against one another, let's work together and share our findings (whether they are successful or not) to get to the end result faster.
The battle against cancer has been going on for far too long – we are at a stage where we have the resources to finally end this battle, and win. Invest in this new era of biotech companies who are attacking cancer from a different angle. Speed up the grant process in order to have more treatment options available, and don't be afraid to collaborate.
The scientific community is a family, and it is families who are torn apart by this debilitating disease.
Mahesh earned an undergraduate degree from Boston University, and an advanced biotechnology degree from the University of Pennsylvania. During graduate school, he spent extensive time in the laboratory, testing the effects of DNA-based vaccines on viral diseases in animals. It was this experience that vaulted him into several prominent roles. He worked as a researcher at GlaxoSmithKline and also served as an adjunct anatomy professor at Philadelphia University. Since 2013, he has brandished business development and operational scaling skills as a leader at PepVax, Inc. In 2015, he was appointed chief operating officer of ImMAGE Biotherapeutics, as the early-stage venture presented promising scientific data on the treatment of triple negative breast cancer. Learn more about ImMAGE Biotherapeutics here: www.immagebio.com
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