by Colleen Fleiss on October 14, 2023 at 4:13 PM

AstraZeneca's Tagrisso Drug to Rule Lung Cancer Small Molecule Market

Tagrisso, a brand-name medication, the commercial name for Osimertinib, is positioned to become a cornerstone of AstraZeneca's portfolio, with anticipated sales exceeding $7 billion and a projected 48% market share among small-molecule treatments for lung cancer by 2029, according to GlobalData, a prominent data and analytics company (1✔

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor in the lung tissues. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer with symptoms like recurrent respiratory diseases.

Tagrisso is prescribed for the treatment of non-small-cell lung carcinomas exhibiting specific mutations. It belongs to the category of third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Tagrisso's Milestone: FDA Approval in EGFR T790M-Mutated Lung Cancer

AstraZeneca's Tagrisso reached a significant milestone in 2015 when it received FDA approval based on the Phase III AURA trial results. This approval marked a major advancement in treating metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with the EGFR T790M mutation.

GlobalData's forecasts indicate a strong demand for small-molecule treatments for NSCLC in the eight major markets (the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, and China), with the market expected to surpass $15 billion by 2029, representing about 40% of the total NSCLC market.

Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer accounts for nearly 1.3 million deaths annually worldwide. Lung cancer screening can help in early detection of cancer and possible cure.

Biswajit Podder, PhD, an Oncology and Hematology Analyst at GlobalData, remarks: "The approval of Tagrisso marked a significant shift in lung cancer treatment, particularly in the early stages where surgical removal of tumors is feasible, but recurrence is common (as seen in the Phase III ADAURA trial). Moreover, the groundbreaking results of the Phase III FLAURA trial set a new standard for the initial treatment of EGFR-mutated NSCLC. This ensures that a broader spectrum of patients can benefit from targeted small-molecule medications like Tagrisso."

Additionally, 14 new small molecules are currently in Phase III clinical trials for lung cancer treatment, indicating a dynamic and robust clinical trial landscape.

Podder concludes: "Apart from the success of Tagrisso, AstraZeneca's other promising pipeline drugs, notably Orpathys, are contributing to the company's small-molecule lung cancer treatment portfolio. Orpathys is expected to generate $361 million in sales for lung cancer treatment by 2029. Furthermore, Lynparza, another small molecule from AstraZeneca, is undergoing clinical trials for lung cancer treatment. On the other hand, Eisai and Merck's new asset, Kisplyx/Lenvima, is another major small molecule in Phase III development for NSCLC treatment, with projected sales of $176 million by 2029."

Reference :

  1. AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso to lead lung cancer small molecule market with over $7 billion sales by 2029-(https://www.globaldata.com/media/pharma/astrazenecas-tagrisso-lead-lung-cancer-small-molecule-market-7-billion-sales-2029-says-globaldata)