BDI "Ellison, FDA Phase 3 Clinical Trial Pancreatic Cancer Treatment... No Competing Products, Market Potential High"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Vidi AI announced on the 12th that the U.S. new drug development company ‘Ellison Pharmaceuticals (hereinafter Ellison)’, in which it has made an equity investment, is expected to have a large market value due to the absence of competing products if it succeeds in developing a second-line treatment for pancreatic cancer. Recently, Vidi AI received a ‘progress report’ containing this information from Ellison.

According to the U.S. Cancer Center, among approximately 55,000 Americans diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2018, 44,000 died, and the 5-year survival rate is only 5%. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), there is currently no second-line pancreatic cancer treatment approved as a monotherapy in the United States.

Currently, pancreatic cancer treatments involve either ‘gemcitabine’ alone or a combination of ‘gemcitabine’ and ‘Abraxane’. Most second-line treatments are conducted by combining first-line therapies, with the number of patients exceeding 27,000 annually. Among them, the number of second-line treatment and non-insulin patients is 23,375. Therefore, the value of ‘glufosfamide’, which Ellison is developing as a second-line monotherapy for pancreatic cancer, is significant and its future market potential is high.

Glufosfamide is currently undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Glufosfamide is chemically synthesized by binding glucose to ‘ifosfamide mustard’, a chemotherapy drug prescribed to various cancer patients, minimizing toxicity to normal cells and raising expectations as a leading candidate treatment.

An Ellison official stated, “Assuming the price of glufosfamide per pancreatic cancer treatment course is $40,000 and achieving a 50% market share in the U.S., annual sales in the U.S. alone could reach $467 million (approximately 535 billion KRW). There are about 7,500 cancer specialists in the U.S., mostly concentrated in major cities and regions treating rare diseases, allowing marketing targeting cancer specialists with minimal sales personnel.”

He added, “The safety and therapeutic efficacy of glufosfamide have been confirmed up to Phase 2 clinical trials, and Phase 3 clinical trials are currently underway at more than 10 hospitals. After September this year, we plan to expand clinical trials to global markets such as Europe, aiming for commercialization of glufosfamide in 2023.”

Meanwhile, Vidi AI invested in the U.S. new drug development company ‘Ellison Pharmaceuticals’ in November last year to promote its bio business. Ellison is currently conducting clinical trials for glufosfamide, a second-line pancreatic cancer treatment, as well as ‘ILC’ for lung cancer and pediatric osteosarcoma, and ‘DBD’ for brain cancer.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.