Cholangiocarcinoma
Pipeline by Development Stage
Drug Modality Breakdown
Cholangiocarcinoma is a $2.9B market in peak maturity with consolidating competition around kinase inhibitors and multi-targeted therapies.
Key Trends
- Market dominated by single approved primary indication drug (PEMAZYRE); most spending driven by off-label kinase inhibitors
- Early-stage pipeline with 173 trials across Phase 1-3, indicating active development of targeted approaches
- Patent cliff risks emerging 2026-2031, creating both vulnerability and genericization opportunity
Career Verdict
Cholangiocarcinoma is a niche but growing specialty within oncology with limited primary indication approvals but strong pipeline momentum—best for specialists willing to work in a rare disease context with higher commercial complexity.
AI-generated market analysis based on FDA, CMS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and hiring data
Market Leaders
| # | Product | Company | Revenue | Share | Stage | Trend | LOE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PEMAZYRE (pemigatinib) | Incyte | $26M | 1% | Peak | Growing | 14.3yr |
Drug Class Breakdown
market standard but off-label
precision oncology focus
off-label repurposing
supportive therapy
mixed efficacy profiles
Career Outlook
StableCholangiocarcinoma careers are best suited for oncology specialists with rare disease experience and comfort in niche markets. The indication has limited approved primary therapies (only PEMAZYRE is labeled), but significant off-label use of kinase inhibitors drives clinical and commercial activity. Long-term growth is constrained by the rarity of the disease (~8,000-12,000 annual US cases) and consolidating competition, though pipeline activity through 2027-2030 will support continuous hiring cycles.
Breaking In
Entry-level professionals should prioritize oncology fundamentals and rare disease experience through rotations or early careers at mid-size biotech firms before targeting major pharma cholangiocarcinoma teams.
For Experienced Professionals
Experienced oncology professionals can differentiate by combining kinase inhibitor expertise with payer/reimbursement knowledge, as the high unmet need and limited standard-of-care create premium negotiating positions.
In-Demand Skills
Best For
Hiring Landscape
Top hiring is concentrated in four major pharma players (Roche, BMS, Novartis, Pfizer) totaling 2,477 jobs across cholangiocarcinoma programs. Manufacturing dominates (450 jobs) followed by Commercial (255) and Engineering (199), reflecting both small-molecule production and commercial launch support. Medical Affairs and Clinical Operations roles command the highest salaries ($265-$270K), signaling premium demand for specialized expertise.
By Department
Hiring is weighted toward manufacturing and commercial roles rather than R&D, suggesting mature market focus on scale and distribution rather than innovation—consider this a consolidation signal.
Competitive Landscape
23 companies ranked by most advanced pipeline stage
Trial Timeline
Clinical trial activity over time
Showing 15 of 36 trials with date data
Clinical Trials (37)
Total enrollment: 6,890 patients across 37 trials
Study of Tinengotinib VS. Physician's Choice a Treatment of Subjects With FGFR-altered in Cholangiocarcinoma
An Early Access Study of Ivosidenib in Patients With a Pretreated Locally Advanced or Metastatic Cholangiocarcinoma
Adjuvant Chemotherapy With Gemcitabine and Cisplatin Compared to Standard of Care After Curative Intent Resection of Biliary Tract Cancer
Study of Nivolumab (BMS-936558) Compared With Dacarbazine in Untreated, Unresectable, or Metastatic Melanoma
A Study to Compare BMS-936558 to the Physician's Choice of Either Dacarbazine or Carboplatin and Paclitaxel in Advanced Melanoma Patients That Have Progressed Following Anti-CTLA-4 Therapy (CheckMate 037)
Phase II Study Evaluating Ivosidenib Maintenance After SOC Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Curative mIDH1 Cholangiocarcinoma
A Study of LSTA1 When Added to Standard of Care Versus Standard of Care Alone in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors
Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of TT-00420 (Tinengotinib) in Cholangiocarcinoma
Trifluridine/Tipiracil in Combination With Irinotecan as a Second Line Therapy in Patients With Cholangiocarcinoma
A Study of BMS-936558 With SBRT After Induction Chemotherapy in Cholangiocarcinoma
Pemigatinib in Treating Patients With Advanced/Metastatic or Surgically Unresectable Cholangiocarcinoma Including FGFR2 Rearrangement
A Study of E7090 in Participants With Unresectable Advanced or Metastatic Cholangiocarcinoma With Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) 2 Gene Fusion
Study of TRIFLURIDINE/TIPIRACIL in Previously Treated Cholangiocarcinoma
PCI Treatment/Gemcitabine & Chemotherapy vs Chemotherapy Alone in Patients With Inoperable Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer
Nivolumab, BMS-936558 in Combination with Relatlimab, BMS-986016 in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma Naïve to Prior Immunotherapy in the Metastatic Setting
Clinical Trial of Autologous Tcm Immunotherapy in ICC
A Study of ABC294640 Alone and in Combination With HCQ Sulfate in the Treatment of Advanced Cholangiocarcinoma
Lenvatinib in Patients With Previously Treated Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer
Efficacy and Safety of Pemigatinib in Subjects With Advanced/Metastatic or Surgically Unresectable Cholangiocarcinoma Who Failed Previous Therapy - (FIGHT-202)
RRx-001 in Second Line Treatment of Advanced Cholangiocarcinoma Prior to Readministration of First-Line Therapy
An Open-Label, Multicenter Clinical Trial With Nivolumab (BMS-936558) Monotherapy in Subjects With Advanced or Metastatic Squamous Cell (Sq) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Who Have Received at Least One Prior Systemic Regimen for the Treatment of Stage IIIb/IV SqNSCLC
A Single-Arm, Open-Label, Multicenter Clinical Trial With Nivolumab (BMS-936558) for Subjects With Histologically Confirmed Stage III (Unresectable) or Stage IV Melanoma Progressing Post Prior Treatment Containing an Anti-CTLA4 Monoclonal Antibody (CheckMate 172)
Clinical Trial to Investigate the Efficacy of Treatment With Gemcitabine/Pazopanib in Patients With Biliary Tree Cancer
Study of Nivolumab (BMS-936558) in Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Squamous Cell Nonsmall-cell Lung Cancer Who Have Received At Least 2 Prior Systemic Regimens
BMS-936558 (MDX-1106) In Subjects With Advanced/Metastatic Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)
Intra-hepatic Chemotherapy in Patient With Non-resectable Liver Metastases From Cholangiocarcinoma
Combination of GNS561 and Trametinib in Patients With Advanced KRAS Mutated Cholangiocarcinoma
A Study of TAS-120 in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors
Study of CX-4945 in Combination With Gemcitabine and Cisplatin for Frontline Treatment of Cholangiocarcinoma
Phase Ib Trial of Infigratinib In Combination With Atezolizumab And Bevacizumab for The Second-Line Treatment of Advanced Cholangiocarcinoma With FGFR2 Fusion/Amplification
Study of Orally Administered AG-120 in Subjects With Advanced Solid Tumors, Including Glioma, With an IDH1 Mutation
A Phase I/II Safety and Efficacy Study of PCI of Gemcitabine and Chemotherapy in Patients With Cholangiocarcinomas
Study of Nivolumab (BMS-936558) in Combination With Gemcitabine/Cisplatin, Pemetrexed/Cisplatin, Carboplatin/Paclitaxel, Bevacizumab Maintenance, Erlotinib, Ipilimumab or as Monotherapy in Subjects With Stage IIIB/IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) (CheckMate 012)
Dose-escalation Study of Combination BMS-936558 (MDX-1106) and Ipilimumab in Subjects With Unresectable Stage III or Stage IV Malignant Melanoma
Expanded Access for the Treatment of Advanced Cholangiocarcinoma With ABC294640 (Yeliva ®)
Evaluating a Community-Based Behaviour Change Communication Model to Prevent Cholangiocarcinoma in Khon Kaen, Thailand
pCLE For the Diagnosis Of Cancer in Unknown Bile Duct Stricture
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Key Insights
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.