Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Upcoming Therapies

The Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Market includes several immunotherapy agents, in the pipeline including Keytruda, Opdivo and Yervoy, which have shown promising anticancer activity against mesothelioma in recent clinical trials. These drugs have been approved for other indications and now are being used in mono or combination therapy for mesothelioma. The most promising checkpoint inhibitors in mesothelioma research currently include Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy and Imfinzi (Durvalumab).

Yervoy (ipilimumab for injection) is a recombinant, fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to and blocks human cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4). Opdivo is a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) blocking antibody. Yervoy, in combination with Opvido is currently in the trial phase for the treatment of mesothelioma and is in clinical trials conducted by Bristol Myers Squibb.

Amphera’s lead product MesoPher is currently in phase II/III for pleural mesothelioma. MesoPher is comprised of autologous patient dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with PheraLys (Amphera’s allogeneic lysate of mesothelioma cell lines). 

Defactinib (VS-6063), developed by Verastem Inc., is currently in phase II for Malignant pleural mesothelioma treatment. Cells treated with VS‐6063 alone or VS‐6063 plus pemetrexed showed little or no tumour-initiating capacity. It is in Phase 1/2 collaboration with Merck & Co. and Cancer Research UK to evaluate combination therapy with pembrolizumab for different types of cancer. 

ONCOS-102, developed by Targovax, is an oncolytic adenovirus armed with an immune-stimulating transgene, which is currently being investigated for Mesothelioma treatment. In February 2019, Targovax reported interim data for the first six patients of the ongoing ONCOS-102 trial. These results suggested that patients might benefit from more injections of Targovax’s oncolytic virus.

Valproate, DHAC, belinostat, decitabine and vorinostat are epi-drugs that have been studied in clinical trials for mesothelioma.

Along with the above-mentioned treatment approach, there are other few companies which have been focusing on the development of novel therapies for the treatment of Mesothelioma. Overall, a robust pipeline filled with novel therapies along with the need for effective curative therapies will lead to a boost to the market revenue generated during the forecast period [2017-2028].