The Biotech Revolution in Cancer Care
For Cancer Control Month, we are looking at how biotechnology’s rapid advancements are reshaping the modern cancer treatment landscape — from traditional therapies, to targeted therapies and beyond.
April is Cancer Control Month in the United States. In honor of this, we wanted to take the opportunity to have a brief look at the ways cancer treatment has evolved over time. Particularly, we wanted to explore the role biotechnology has had, and continues to have, on innovation for cancer treatments and therapies. Below, we discuss oncology, highlights in the history of cancer treatment, biotechnological advances, and companies making a difference in cancer care.
What is Oncology?
Oncology, the medical field dedicated to combating cancer, encompasses a broad spectrum of research, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and survivorship strategies. This is a general term, and the field of oncology can be broken down into many specialist fields, such as pediatric oncology, hematology oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, and many more. The term itself, derived from the Greek 'onco' (mass or tumor) and '-ology' (the study of), underscores the field's fundamental focus on understanding and managing cancerous growths.
A Brief History of Oncology Treatment
Cancer is a disease that has been recorded in humans as early as 3000 BC. Thousands of years later, we are still working on making improvements in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer. Biotechnology has been at the forefront of advances in cancer therapies and other technologies, leading to better early detection and patient outcomes. Many of these advancements have only been made in the last two centuries, but the effect of these developments has been monumental.
Early Treatments
One of the first notable biotechnology advancements in cancer treatment was the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Röntgen in 1895, closely followed by the discovery of radium by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. These findings were critical in developing radiation therapy, a treatment that utilizes intense energy beams to kill cancer cells.
As of 2021, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 50% of cancer patients required radiotherapy as part of their treatment. They cited how radiotherapy is used to treat common types of cancer, such as breast cancer and lung cancer, but noted that there is not adequate accessibility to this treatment for everyone.
Following the early discoveries, the development of linear accelerators and other advanced radiation technologies has greatly improved the precision and effectiveness of radiotherapy.
Chemotherapy
Another advancement in cancer treatment, which is one of the most commonly known treatment options for most individuals, is chemotherapy. This treatment was discovered in the early 20th century, following the discovery that soldiers in World War II had reduced white blood cell counts when exposed to nitrogen mustard.
Scientists and researchers were then led to wonder whether this effect of nitrogen mustard could also work to slow, or even stop the growth of other rapidly growing cells, such as cancer cells. Chemotherapy was first studied in a cancer specific application in the 1940s to treat lymphoma by Yale pharmacologists Louise Goodman and Alfred Gilman.
Many other chemotherapeutic agents have been discovered since, and presently, chemotherapy is a broad term encompassing many different medications.
Hormone Therapy
At this point in cancer treatment history, new technologies and therapies began rapidly populating in the market. In the 1940s, hormone therapy was first introduced. These treatments are targeted towards cancers that are dependent on hormones for growth, like certain breast cancers, kidney cancers, and prostate cancers.
Hormone therapy originated with findings by Thomas Beatson in 1878 that the removal of a rabbit's ovaries led them to stop producing milk. Decades later, a urologist at the University of Chicago named Charles Huggins used that finding to discover that drugs blocking male hormones were an effective treatment for prostate cancer.
Modern Biotech Advancements
Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs)
In 1975, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were discovered, which would be an effective method for treating a variety of diseases including and beyond cancer. We previously explored the topic of mAbs in our article “The Evolution and impact of Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs)”.
The first human trial of mAbs in a cancer treatment application was in 1980 to treat a patient suffering from lymphoma. mAbs have since evolved to be an incredibly advanced, and often time effective, treatment for cancer. However, it is important to understand that not all cancers respond to mAb therapy.
mRNA Vaccines
The 2010s marked the increasing prominence of mRNA-based cancer vaccine research, alongside the clinical advancements of CAR T-cell therapies. While early research was promising, the rapid development of mRNA technology during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated its application in cancer treatment.
mRNA presents an opportunity for physicians and biopharmaceutical companies to harness the power of the human immune system to treat cancer. Specifically, it does so by instructing antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to produce specific tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) or, crucially, unique tumor neoantigens. This method also offers the unique benefit of being able to target multiple antigens at once.
These vaccines are designed to instruct cells to produce specific antigens found on cancer cells. Once these cells are produced, the immune system is triggered, allowing it to recognize and attack the cancer cells.
For further reading on those subjects, you can visit our previous articles titled “The Importance of Lipid Particles in mRNA”, and “The Evolution and Impact of mRNA”.
Liquid Biopsies
An important diagnostic tool that was developed in the 2010s is liquid biopsies. Liquid biopsies are a far less invasive method of cancer detection than previous biopsy operations, and detect signs of cancerous tumors with a blood test. This eliminates the need to test the tumor tissue directly through invasive surgical procedures.
Companies Making Strides in the Future of Cancer Therapies
Building on these advancements, several companies are at the forefront of developing innovative cancer therapies. We discuss some examples below.
mRNA Vaccines
The field of mRNA cancer therapeutics is rapidly evolving, with companies like Moderna and BioNTech at the forefront of innovation. These companies, having demonstrated the potential of mRNA technology with their COVID-19 vaccines, are now channeling their expertise into developing personalized cancer vaccines.
Using mRNA as their treatment approach involves creating vaccines tailored to an individual’s specific tumor mutations, effectively training the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Ongoing clinical trials are demonstrating promising results, fueling optimism for a new era of cancer treatments.
Monoclonal Antibodies & Other Targeted Therapies
The landscape of targeted therapies, particularly with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), is witnessing significant advancements. Companies are pushing the boundaries of precision medicine. For example, companies like Arcus Biosciences are developing therapies such as Domvanalimab, a mAb with a silent Fc domain, being used in combination with other mAbs like Zimberelimab, to treat certain cancers.
These therapies are designed to enhance the immune system's ability to target cancer cells more effectively, minimizing damage to healthy tissues. Similarly, Astria Therapeutics is focusing on immunological diseases, with candidates like STAR-0310, an OX40 antagonist, aiming to treat conditions like atopic dermatitis.
Furthermore, the development of bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) is a rapidly expanding area. Companies are engineering BsAbs to simultaneously target two different antigens, enhancing therapeutic efficacy. For instance, Regeneron's Linvoseltamab, an investigational BCMAxCD3 BsAb, is designed to bring T cells and multiple myeloma cells together, facilitating cancer cell destruction.
Companies like Innate Pharma are also developing novel therapies, such as their ANKET® NK-cell engager platform, and advancing Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs). These advancements signify a shift towards more precise and potent treatments, offering new hope for patients with various diseases.
An Ongoing Process
Cancer treatment is constantly evolving, and many of the treatments mentioned in our brief history have been improved upon multiple times throughout the last decade. Additionally, this article does not cover all available treatment options. If you or a loved one is seeking all options for cancer treatment, it is critical to discuss options with a trusted healthcare provider.
Supporting Cancer Control Month
First declared in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Cancer Control Month, which occurs every April in the United States, honors those who have been affected by cancer, and raises awareness for cancer treatment and prevention.
The dedication of this month serves as a great reminder to get all of your annual cancer screenings for early detection if you are able. Since the founding of the month dedication, we have come a long way in preventative care, diagnostics, and our understanding of risk factors.
Beyond simply raising awareness, Cancer Control Month also highlights the remarkable strides made in oncology through biotechnological innovation. From the development of targeted therapies that precisely attack cancer cells to the potential of immunotherapy, which harnesses the body's own immune system, these advances have transformed the landscape of cancer treatment.
Cancer Control Month serves not only as a time for remembrance and support, but also as a celebration of the ongoing breakthroughs that offer hope and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.
Upgrade Your Therapy Innovation Capabilities with HPNE
At High Purity New England (HPNE), we are dedicated to using our time and resources to develop new solutions that are critical in the drug development process. We understand that the industry is constantly making strides by discovering new treatments and therapies, but there are also many more to discover.
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About HPNE
As the industry needs grow, High Purity New England, Inc. continues to supply the biopharmaceutical industry with a range of innovative products, from drug discovery and development to fill-finish, including their flagship product, custom single-use assemblies, as well as pumps, sensors, bioreactor systems, storage and handling solutions and other single-use solutions. Along with their own manufactured products for the global market, they are also a distributor for more than 18 brands in North America.
