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Advanced Adult Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Oncology
5
Pipeline Programs
8
Companies
6
Clinical Trials
0
Approved Products

Pipeline by Development Stage

Preclinical
Phase 1
Phase 1/2
Phase 2
Phase 2/3
Phase 3
On Market
0
1
3
1
0
0
0
Early DiscoveryClinical DevelopmentMarket

Drug Modality Breakdown

Small Molecule
2100%
+ 6 programs with unclassified modality

Oncology is a $53.9B market in consolidation, dominated by a handful of megacap players with blockbuster franchises approaching patent expiration.

$53.9B marketConsolidating→ Stable30 products15 companies

Key Trends

  • Heavy patent cliff exposure (REVLIMID $3.9B LOE 2028, JAKAFI $1.9B LOE 2028)
  • Kinase inhibitors and immunomodulatory agents dominate spend; limited diversification in top 10
  • Clinical trial volume remains exceptionally high (29,145 trials) but concentration in Phase 1-2 signals early-stage pipeline challenges

Career Verdict

Strong near-term opportunity for R&D and medical affairs roles, but competitive landscape and patent cliff urgency favor specialists over generalists.

AI-generated market analysis based on FDA, CMS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and hiring data

Market Leaders

#1ELIQUISStable
$18.3B
Bristol Myers Squibb·Launch15.0yr
#2FARXIGAStable
$4.3B
AstraZeneca·Peak15.4yr
#3REVLIMIDDeclining
$3.9B
Bristol Myers Squibb·LOE Approaching1.8yr
#4XTANDIStable
$2.6B
Astellas·Peak10.7yr
#5IMBRUVICAStable
$2.4B
AbbVie·Peak8.9yr

Drug Class Breakdown

FXa Inhibitors
$18.3B(34%)

concentrated in single product

SGLT2 Inhibitors
$4.3B(8%)

single dominant product

Kinase Inhibitors
$4.0B(7%)

multi-product class, competitive

Immunomodulatory Agents (Cereblon)
$3.9B(7%)

facing near-term patent cliff

Androgen Receptor Antagonists
$2.6B(5%)

prostate cancer specialty

Protein Kinase Inhibitors
$2.4B(4%)

niche hematologic oncology

JAK Inhibitors
$1.9B(4%)

near-term LOE exposure

Career Outlook

Stable

Oncology remains a premium therapeutic area but faces structural headwinds: top 10 products account for >80% of spend, patent cliffs loom (REVLIMID 2028), and late-stage pipeline thinness suggests slower near-term growth. However, high trial volume and consolidation create demand for specialized expertise in regulatory, clinical operations, and lifecycle management. Pharma professionals with kinase inhibitor, immunomodulatory, or ADC experience are in highest demand.

Breaking In

Entry-level candidates should target CROs (Thermo Fisher, IQVIA), emerging biotech (BeiGene, BeOne), or contract manufacturing; oncology specialization requires demonstrated domain knowledge.

For Experienced Professionals

Experienced professionals should focus on lifecycle/patent strategy roles (high salary, low headcount) or pivot to emerging modalities (ADCs, bispecifics) to avoid commoditization in crowded kinase inhibitor space.

In-Demand Skills

Regulatory strategy & PDUFA navigationKinase inhibitor development (small molecule)Clinical trial operations & site managementLifecycle management & patent strategyMedical affairs (oncology-specific science)Manufacturing scale-up (small molecule & biotech)

Best For

Regulatory Affairs ManagerClinical Operations ManagerMedical Science Liaison (MSL) — OncologyLifecycle ManagerR&D Scientist (medicinal chemistry, ADME)Manufacturing Engineer

Hiring Landscape

$102K–$266K

Oncology hiring is actively concentrated at Thermo Fisher Scientific (CRO/CDMO services, 559 jobs), AstraZeneca (208 jobs), and emerging biotech players like BeiGene (185 jobs). Commercial roles dominate (412 jobs, $136K avg) but R&D positions offer the highest salary premium ($199K avg, 347 roles). Patent cliff urgency is creating acute demand for regulatory, CMC, and lifecycle management expertise.

1,946
Open Roles
5
Companies Hiring
5
Departments

Top Hiring Companies

208Stable
185Growing
167Growing
147Growing

By Department

Commercial(21%)
$136K
Research & Development(18%)
$199K
Clinical Operations(5%)
$181K
Medical Affairs(4%)
$266K
Manufacturing(5%)
$102K

Strong near-term hiring momentum, especially in CRO/CDMO and emerging biotech; Medical Affairs offers highest compensation but limited headcount.

Competitive Landscape

8 companies ranked by most advanced pipeline stage

Sandoz
SandozAustria - Kundl
1 program
1
EverolimusPhase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT01488487Completed24Est. Mar 2015
Exelixis
ExelixisCA - Alameda
1 program
1
CabozantinibPhase 1/2Small Molecule1 trial
Active Trials
NCT04497038Terminated3Est. May 2023
Sharp Therapeutics
Sharp TherapeuticsPA - Pittsburgh
1 program
1
Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisPhase 1/2
MSD
MSDIreland - Ballydine
1 program
1
Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisPhase 1/21 trial
Active Trials
NCT03211416Completed37Est. Aug 2025
AstraZeneca
AstraZenecaCAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
1 program
1
AZD9150Phase 1
Ionis Pharmaceuticals
1 program
AZD9150PHASE_11 trial
Active Trials
NCT01839604Completed58Est. Feb 2015
Merck & Co.
Merck & Co.RAHWAY, NJ
1 program
Dalantercept plus sorafenibPHASE_1_2Small Molecule1 trial
Active Trials
NCT02024087Completed21Est. Sep 2017
CASI Pharmaceuticals
CASI PharmaceuticalsBEIJING, China
1 program
ENMD-2076PHASE_21 trial
Active Trials
NCT02234986Completed35Est. Jun 2018

Trial Timeline

Clinical trial activity over time

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
CASI PharmaceuticalsENMD-2076
SandozEverolimus
ExelixisCabozantinib
MSDLaboratory Biomarker Analysis
Merck & Co.Dalantercept plus sorafenib
Ionis PharmaceuticalsAZD9150

Clinical Trials (6)

Total enrollment: 178 patients across 6 trials

A Multi-center, Open-label Study of Oral ENMD-2076 for the Treatment of Patients With Advanced Fibrolamellar Carcinoma

Start: Oct 2015Est. completion: Jun 201835 patients
Phase 2Completed

Everolimus and Pasireotide (SOM230) in Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Start: Dec 2011Est. completion: Mar 201524 patients
Phase 2Completed

Cabozantinib in Patients With Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Child Pugh Class B Cirrhosis After First-Line Therapy

Start: Aug 2021Est. completion: May 20233 patients
Phase 1/2Terminated
NCT03211416MSDLaboratory Biomarker Analysis

Sorafenib Tosylate and Pembrolizumab in Treating Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Liver Cancer

Start: Dec 2017Est. completion: Aug 202537 patients
Phase 1/2Completed
NCT02024087Merck & Co.Dalantercept plus sorafenib

Study of Dalantercept and Sorafenib in Patients With Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Start: Aug 2014Est. completion: Sep 201721 patients
Phase 1/2Completed

A Phase I/Ib Study of AZD9150 (ISIS-STAT3Rx) in Patients With Advanced/Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Start: May 2013Est. completion: Feb 201558 patients
Phase 1Completed

Related Jobs in Oncology

Phase Legend

PreclinicalLab & animal studies
Phase 1Safety & dosing
Phase 2Efficacy testing
Phase 3Large-scale trials
On MarketApproved & available

Key Insights

8 companies competing in this space

The information on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Drug information is sourced from FDA, DailyMed, and other government databases. Adverse event data from FAERS does not establish causation. Always consult a healthcare professional for medical decisions.