Our Impact

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Cancer

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. The most common in 2020 (in terms of new cases of cancer) were:

  • breast (2.26 million cases)
  • lung (2.21 million cases)
  • colon and rectum (1.93 million cases)
  • prostate (1.41 million cases)
  • skin (non-melanoma) (1.20 million cases)
  • Stomach (1.09 million cases).
  • Liver (0.90 million cases).
  • Pancreas (0.49 million cases).

The most common causes of cancer death in 2020 were:

  • lung (1.80 million deaths)
  • colon and rectum (935 000 deaths)
  • liver (830 180 deaths)
  • stomach (769 793 deaths)
  • breast (685 000 deaths)
  • pancreas (466 003 deaths)
  • skin (non-melanoma) (57 043 deaths)

About Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in the U.S., with more than 235,000 new cases expected to be diagnosed in 2021.2The disease is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in both men and women, causing 25% of all cancer-related deaths. 2 The majority (84%) of lung cancer cases are non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC), which mainly comprise adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma.2,3 The five-year survival rate for patients with NSCLC is 24%, but that rate falls to just 6% for those with advanced or metastatic disease.3 More than half of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and more options are needed for these patients.4

About Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second most common type of cancer in the U.S., with more than 104,270 new cases of colon cancer and 45,230 new cases of rectal cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2021.5 In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and in women, and the second most common cause of cancer deaths when men and women are combined. It's expected to cause about 52,980 deaths during 2021.5 The five-year survival rate for patients with colorectal cancers is 67%.6 Relative survival is an estimate of the percentage of patients who would be expected to survive the effects of their cancer. It excludes the risk of dying from other causes. Because survival statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient. No two patients are entirely alike, and treatment and responses to treatment can vary greatly.7

About Pancreatic Cancer

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for pancreatic cancer in the United States for 2021 are: About 60,430 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. About 48,220 people will die of pancreatic cancer.8 Pancreatic cancer accounts for about 3% of all cancers in the US and about 7% of all cancer deaths. It is slightly more common in men than in women. If the cancer is detected at an early stage when surgical removal of the tumor is possible, the 5-year survival rate is 39%. About 11% of people are diagnosed at this stage. If the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or organs, the 5-year survival rate is 13%. For the 52% of people who are diagnosed after the cancer has spread to a distant part of the body, the 5-year survival rate is 3%.9 Relative survival is an estimate of the percentage of patients who would be expected to survive the effects of their cancer. It excludes the risk of dying from other causes. Because survival statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient. No two patients are entirely alike, and treatment and responses to treatment can vary greatly.10

References

  • Ferlay J, Ervik M, Lam F, Colombet M, Mery L, Piñeros M, et al. Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2020 (https://gco.iarc.fr/today, accessed February 2021).
  • American Cancer Society. About Lung Cancer, March 2021 https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/CRC/PDF/Public/8703.00.pdf.
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology. Cancer.Net. Lung Cancer – Non-Small Cell: Statistics, March 2021 https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/lung-cancer-non-small-cell/statistics
  • National Cancer Institute. SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Lung and Bronchus Cancer. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/lungb.html. Accessed March 2021.
  • American Cancer Society. About Colon Rectal Cancer, March 2021 https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/CRC/PDF/Public/8604.00.pdf
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology. Cancer.Net. Colorectal Cancer: Statistics, March 2021 https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/colorectal-cancer/statistics
  • National Cancer Institute. SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Colon and Rectum. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/pancreas.html
  • American Cancer Society. About Pancreatic Cancer, March 2021 https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/CRC/PDF/Public/8778.00.pdf
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology. Cancer.Net. Pancreatic Cancer: Statistics, March 2021 https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/pancreatic-cancer/statistics
  • National Cancer Institute. SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Pancreas. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/pancreas.html

Our Innovation

Cancer is driven by genetic and epigenetic alterations that allow cells to over proliferate and escape mechanisms that normally control their survival and migration. Many of these alterations map to signalling pathways that control cell growth and division, cell death, cell fate, and cell motility, and can be placed in the context of distortions of wider signalling networks that fuel cancer progression, such as changes in the tumor microenvironment, angiogenesis, and inflammation.

We are working on multiple different pathways in metastatic solid tumors that can inhibited to suppress and kill the cancer cells in this RACE AGAINST CANCER, as well as be available for combination with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and other targeted agents.

Combination Strategies

Our innovation is designed to act both as single agent and/or in combination with treatment regimens to precisely target potential pathways, including complementary pathways.

Reference:

1. Sever, et.al, Signal transduction in cancers, Cold spring harb perspect hub, April 2015.