New Medicines, Novel Insights: Advancing Precision Oncology

By Gwyn Bebb, M.D., BM, BCh, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Global Therapeutic Area Head – Oncology

Precision oncology, evolving over two decades, has advanced treatments for breast, lung, and blood cancers, with biomarker discovery gaining momentum. Since 2012, 159 novel oncology treatments have launched, 30 in 2021 alone, underscoring its impact. Patient stories like Terry Morey's, a stage-four lung cancer survivor, highlight the transformative potential through expanded clinical trial access and biomarker testing. Over half of cancer trials now target specific genetic traits, supported by data science and technologies like machine learning.

Despite progress, challenges persist due to cancer's complexity, gaps in immune system understanding, and disparities in access. At Parexel, we believe in incremental progress toward precision oncology's vision, tackling immediate hurdles while prioritizing the patient journey. In this report, our experts offer practical insights to empower drug developers, aiming to accelerate advancements and realize long-term goals in oncology.