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Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Oncology
8
Pipeline Programs
11
Companies
9
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
2
0
6
0
0
0
Early DiscoveryClinical DevelopmentMarket

Drug Modality Breakdown

Monoclonal Antibody
2100%
+ 9 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

11 companies ranked by most advanced pipeline stage

AbbVie
AbbVieNORTH CHICAGO, IL
1 program
1
ABT-869Phase 2
Abbott
AbbottABBOTT PARK, IL
1 program
1
ABT-869Phase 2
UNION therapeutics
UNION therapeuticsDenmark - Hellerup
1 program
1
Cetuximabβ combined with Envolimab and mFOLFOX6Phase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT07000305Not Yet Recruiting42Est. May 2028
AstraZeneca
AstraZenecaCAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
1 program
1
MEDI4736Phase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT02227667Completed16Est. Jun 2020
PharmaMar
PharmaMarSpain - Madrid
1 program
1
PM060184Phase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT03427268Completed32Est. Feb 2019
Taiho Pharma
Taiho PharmaJapan - Tokyo
1 program
1
TAS-109Phase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT00824161Terminated28Est. Dec 2010
Sandoz
SandozAustria - Kundl
1 program
1
Imatinib, Fluorouracil, Oxaliplatin, Leucovorin and BevacizumabPhase 1Monoclonal Antibody1 trial
Active Trials
NCT01271166Terminated10
Ascend Therapeutics
1 program
1
paclitaxel poliglumexPhase 11 trial
Active Trials
NCT00598247Completed15Est. Jul 2011
Chia Tai TianQing Pharmaceutical Group
1 program
AL2846PHASE_1_21 trial
Active Trials
NCT04337879Unknown56Est. Dec 2020
Daiichi Sankyo
Daiichi SankyoChina - Shanghai
1 program
DS-8201a 5.4 mg/kg Q3WPHASE_21 trial
Active Trials
NCT04744831Completed122Est. Dec 2024
Eisai
EisaiChina - Liaoning
1 program
E7820 plus cetuximabPHASE_2Monoclonal Antibody1 trial
Active Trials
NCT00309179Completed41Est. Feb 2017

Trial Timeline

Clinical trial activity over time

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
UNION therapeuticsCetuximabβ combined with Envolimab and mFOLFOX6
Daiichi SankyoDS-8201a 5.4 mg/kg Q3W
PharmaMarPM060184
AstraZenecaMEDI4736
Taiho PharmaTAS-109
EisaiE7820 plus cetuximab
Chia Tai TianQing Pharmaceutical GroupAL2846
Ascend Therapeuticspaclitaxel poliglumex
SandozImatinib, Fluorouracil, Oxaliplatin, Leucovorin and Bevacizumab

Clinical Trials (9)

Total enrollment: 362 patients across 9 trials

NCT07000305UNION therapeuticsCetuximabβ combined with Envolimab and mFOLFOX6

A Study of Cetuximabβ Combined With Envolimab and mFOLFOX6 in Subjects With Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Start: May 2025Est. completion: May 202842 patients
Phase 2Not Yet Recruiting
NCT04744831Daiichi SankyoDS-8201a 5.4 mg/kg Q3W

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Participants With HER2-overexpressing Advanced or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Start: Mar 2021Est. completion: Dec 2024122 patients
Phase 2Completed

Clinical Trial of PM60184 in Advanced Colorectal Cancer After Standard Treatment

Start: Jan 2018Est. completion: Feb 201932 patients
Phase 2Completed

Evaluate the Efficacy of MEDI4736 in Immunological Subsets of Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Start: Dec 2014Est. completion: Jun 202016 patients
Phase 2Completed

Phase II Study of TAS-109 to Treat Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Start: Jan 2009Est. completion: Dec 201028 patients
Phase 2Terminated
NCT00309179EisaiE7820 plus cetuximab

A Phase II Study of the Safety and Efficacy of E7820 Plus Cetuximab in Colorectal Cancer, Preceded by a Run-in Study in Advanced Solid Tumors

Start: Sep 2007Est. completion: Feb 201741 patients
Phase 2Completed

A Study of AL2846 Capsule Combined With Standard Chemotherapy Regimen in Subjects With Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Start: Jul 2020Est. completion: Dec 202056 patients
Phase 1/2Unknown
NCT00598247Ascend Therapeuticspaclitaxel poliglumex

A Pilot Study of PPX in Women With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Start: Jan 2008Est. completion: Jul 201115 patients
Phase 1Completed
NCT01271166SandozImatinib, Fluorouracil, Oxaliplatin, Leucovorin and Bevacizumab

Glivec® Plus m-FOLFOX Avastin® in Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Start: Oct 200710 patients
Phase 1Terminated

Related Jobs in Oncology

Phase Legend

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

Key Insights

11 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.