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Cancer Cachexia

Oncology
8
Pipeline Programs
8
Companies
9
Clinical Trials
1 recruiting
0
Approved Products

Pipeline by Development Stage

Preclinical
Phase 1
Phase 1/2
Phase 2
Phase 2/3
Phase 3
On Market
0
1
0
7
0
0
0
Early DiscoveryClinical DevelopmentMarket

Drug Modality Breakdown

Small Molecule
1100%
+ 10 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

Helsinn
HelsinnIreland - Dublin
4 programs
4
Anamorelin HClPhase 21 trial
RC-1291Phase 21 trial
RC-1291 HClPhase 21 trial
RC-1291 HClPhase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT01505764Terminated10Est. Mar 2016
NCT00378131Completed51Est. Apr 2007
NCT00267358CompletedEst. Oct 2006
+1 more trials
Akamis Bio
Akamis BioUK - Abingdon
1 program
1
MT-102Phase 2
Biocorp
BiocorpFrance - Issoire
1 program
1
MT-102Phase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT01238107Completed87Est. May 2013
Sandoz
SandozAustria - Kundl
1 program
1
RuxolitinibPhase 2Small Molecule1 trial
Active Trials
NCT02072057Terminated8Est. Nov 2018
GenFleet Therapeutics
GenFleet TherapeuticsChina - Shanghai
1 program
1
GFS202A injectionPhase 11 trial
Active Trials
NCT06898255Recruiting36Est. Jul 2026
ViiV Healthcare
ViiV HealthcareNC - Durham
1 program
Eicosapentaenoic AcidN/A
GSK
GSKLONDON, United Kingdom
1 program
Eicosapentaenoic AcidN/A1 trial
Active Trials
NCT00815685Completed36Est. Aug 2010
Accord Biopharma
Accord BiopharmaNC - Raleigh
1 program
ProSureN/A1 trial
Active Trials
NCT03316157Completed45Est. Jul 2019

Trial Timeline

Clinical trial activity over time

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
SandozRuxolitinib
HelsinnAnamorelin HCl
BiocorpMT-102
HelsinnRC-1291
HelsinnRC-1291 HCl
HelsinnRC-1291 HCl
GenFleet TherapeuticsGFS202A injection
Accord BiopharmaProSure
GSKEicosapentaenoic Acid

Clinical Trials (9)

Total enrollment: 353 patients across 9 trials

Study of Ruxolitinib in the Treatment of Cachexia in Patients With Tumor-Associated Chronic Wasting Diseases.

Start: Apr 2014Est. completion: Nov 20188 patients
Phase 2Terminated
NCT01505764HelsinnAnamorelin HCl

The Role of Ghrelin in Cancer Cachexia

Start: Jun 2012Est. completion: Mar 201610 patients
Phase 2Terminated

A Clinical Study With MT-102 in Subjects With Cancer Cachexia

Start: Apr 2011Est. completion: May 201387 patients
Phase 2Completed

Placebo Controlled, Randomized Safety and Efficacy Study of RC-1291 in Cancer Anorexia/Cachexia

Start: Sep 2006Est. completion: Apr 200751 patients
Phase 2Completed

Placebo Controlled, Randomized Safety and Efficacy Study of RC-1291 in Cancer Anorexia/Cachexia.

Start: Nov 2005Est. completion: Oct 2006
Phase 2Completed

Safety and Efficacy of RC-1291 HCl in Patients With Cancer Related Anorexia and Weight Loss

Start: Jun 2005Est. completion: Oct 200680 patients
Phase 2Completed

A Phase I Study to Evaluate GFS202A in Advanced Solid Tumor Patients With Pre-cachexia or Cachexia

Start: Apr 2025Est. completion: Jul 202636 patients
Phase 1Recruiting

Exercise and Nutritional Rehabilitation in Patients With Cancer

Start: Jan 2018Est. completion: Jul 201945 patients
N/ACompleted
NCT00815685GSKEicosapentaenoic Acid

A Pilot Study of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) in Patients With Cancer Cachexia

Start: Jul 2007Est. completion: Aug 201036 patients
N/ACompleted

Related Jobs in Oncology

Phase Legend

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

Key Insights

1 actively recruiting trials targeting 353 patients
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.