日本制药巨头武田(Takeda)近日宣布重大重组,创立全球肿瘤业务单元——武田肿瘤(Takeda Oncology),总部设在美国马萨诸塞州剑桥市。武田肿瘤(Takeda Oncology)将取代武田肿瘤公司品牌——千禧(Millennium),成为新的全球肿瘤业务单元。武田表示,武田肿瘤(Takeda Oncology)的创立,将提高突破性抗癌药物的发现、开发和全球商业化,扩展全球的商业网络和资源,增强公司满足全球癌症患者及其亲人和医疗保健提供商独特而迫切医疗需求的能力。
武田全球肿瘤业务部总裁Christophe Bianchi表示,尽管近些年来对抗癌症方面已取得了十足的进展,但在横跨多种类型癌症中仍存在着严重未获满足的医疗需求。武田肿瘤(Takeda Oncology)对患者的需求有着深刻的了解,将对资源优化重组并应用灵活的业务模式快速满足全球癌症患者、医疗保健提供商和医疗系统的各种需求,同时为癌症患者带来新一代癌症疗法。
武田于2008年斥资88亿美元收购美国生物技术公司千禧制药(Millennium Pharmaceuticals),该公司已成为了武田肿瘤药研发销售公司,推出的抗癌药物万珂(Velcade)是市面最成功的多发性骨髓瘤药物,年销售额高达数十亿美元。Velcade也是过去11年中唯一一种已被证明能够延缓多发性硬化症患者总生存期(OS)的药物。
武田投身肿瘤学领域已超过25年,资产包括针对血液癌症和实体瘤的一系列革命性疗法。目前,武田正投资相关资产用于超过17种肿瘤的治疗,包括ixazomib用于AL型淀粉样变性和多发性骨髓瘤、alisertib用于复发性/难治性外周T细胞淋巴瘤、复发性卵巢癌、小细胞肺癌及其他恶性肿瘤。
武田对ixazomib寄予厚望,该药是一种蛋白酶体抑制剂,近日获得FDA突破性疗法认定。业界预测,ixazomib将成为武田的重磅产品,其前景将超过多发性骨髓瘤药物Velcade。
英文原文:Takeda Announces Formalization of Takeda oncology to Enhance Discovery, Development and Global Commercialization of Breakthrough Cancer Medicines
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & OSAKA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502) today announced its global oncology business unit, headquartered in Cambridge, MA, will be called Takeda Oncology. The creation of Takeda oncology will improve the company’s ability to meet the unique and urgent needs of cancer patients, their loved ones and health care providers worldwide. Takeda will sustain its long-standing entrepreneurial approach to oncology research and development while expanding its global commercial network and resources as Takeda Oncology. Takeda is retiring the Millennium: The Takeda oncology Company brand, and replacing it with Takeda oncology to reflect the new global oncology business unit.
“Despite the progress made in the fight against cancer, serious unmet needs persist across many forms of the disease,” said Christophe Bianchi, M.D., President, Global oncology Business Unit. “Takeda oncology has a deep understanding of patient needs and applies scientific rigor and resources to work to meet these needs. Now, our agile business model optimally organizes us to quickly meet the diverse needs of cancer patients, health care providers and systems around the world, and bring the next generation of cancer treatments to cancer patients who need them.”
Comprised of Takeda’s global oncology commercial operations, the oncology Business Unit remains closely aligned with Takeda’s dedicated global oncology R&D function, the oncology Therapeutic Area Unit, and Takeda’s oncology Drug Discovery Unit to together drive forward the company’s portfolio of products while maintaining a focus on expanding new product launches in the near and longer terms. As a fully integrated unit within Takeda’s global network, the oncology Business Unit will leverage expertise from diverse oncology markets to help accelerate global and local capabilities, ensure continued understanding of evolving patient needs, and drive the oncology business worldwide.
“Less than 2 years ago, Takeda reorganized research and development within oncology to provide an expanded, global reach while maintaining focus and dedicated resources to our therapeutic area. As a result, our research and development infrastructure across Takeda in oncology, which is focused on innovative products, is the strongest and most integrated it has ever been,” said Michael Vasconcelles, M.D., Head, oncology Therapeutic Area Unit, Takeda. “Our preclinical and clinical studies as well as our scientific collaborations extend across a broad range of hematologic cancers and solid tumors in all regions, and we are looking forward to potential near term regulatory filings for our late stage compounds, including investigational alisertib and ixazomib, the latter of which was recently granted Breakthrough Therapy status for systemic light-chain (AL) amyloidosis by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.”
“Our commitment to science, breakthrough innovation and passion for improving the lives of patients is stronger than ever,” said Christopher Claiborne, Ph.D., Head, oncology Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda. “In working towards our aspiration to cure cancer, our singular focus has been on the discovery and development of breakthrough medicines for cancer patients, particularly for those battling forms of the disease that have not traditionally been the focus of oncology R&D. Now, with a more robust global network and resources, we are optimally positioned to leverage all scientific and clinical platforms and tools at our disposal to quickly identify new targets and develop compounds for cancer patients around the world.”
Takeda’s legacy in oncology extends more than 25 years, and includes a range of paradigm-changing therapies for hematologic cancers and solid tumors. Today, the company is investigating compounds across more than 17 forms of cancer, including ixazomib in AL amyloidosis and multiple myeloma as well as alisertib in relapsed/refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma, recurrent ovarian cancer, and small cell lung cancer, among other malignancies. Data on ixazomib and alisertib, along with three additional investigational agents, will be presented this year at the 56th American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting in San Francisco, CA.
about Ixazomib
Ixazomib (MLN9708) is an investigational oral proteasome inhibitor, which is being studied in multiple myeloma (MM), systemic light-chain (AL) amyloidosis and other malignancies. Ixazomib was granted orphan drug designation in MM in both the U.S. and Europe in 2011, and for AL amyloidosis in both the U.S. and Europe in 2012. It is the first oral proteasome inhibitor to enter Phase 3 clinical trials. Four global Phase 3 trials are ongoing: TOURMALINE-MM1, investigating ixazomib vs. placebo in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in relapsed and/or refractory MM; TOURMALINE-AL1, investigating ixazomib plus dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or refractory AL amyloidosis; TOURMALINE-MM2, investigating ixazomib vs. placebo in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with newly diagnosed MM; and TOURMALINE-MM3, investigating ixazomib vs. placebo as maintenance therapy in patients with newly diagnosed MM following induction therapy and autologous stem cell transplant. For additional information on the ongoing Phase 3 studies please visit www.tourmalinetrials.com or www.clinicaltrials.gov.
about Alisertib
Alisertib (MLN8237) is an investigational, oral, selective, inhibitor of Aurora A kinase, a novel approach in cancer research. Aurora A kinase is required for cells to divide properly and has been shown to be over-expressed in a variety of cancers. Alisertib is being explored for the treatment of a broad range of hematological malignancies and solid tumors, including relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), recurrent ovarian cancer, and small cell lung cancer, among other malignancies. For additional information on the ongoing clinical studies please visit www.lumieretrial.com or www.clinicaltrials.gov.
about Takeda Oncology
The Takeda oncology Business Unit, headquartered in Cambridge, MA, is co-located with the leadership of Takeda’s globally-integrated oncology research and development enterprise, overseen by the oncology Therapeutic Area Unit. Takeda oncology delivers novel medicines to patients with cancer worldwide through its commitment to science, breakthrough innovation and passion for improving the lives of patients. Takeda oncology was formerly known as Millennium: The Takeda oncology Company. Additional information about Takeda oncology is available through its website, www.takedaoncology.com.