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Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)

Oncology
5
Pipeline Programs
7
Companies
7
Clinical Trials
2 recruiting
0
Approved Products

Pipeline by Development Stage

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

Drug Modality Breakdown

Small Molecule
480%
Monoclonal Antibody
120%
+ 4 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

7 companies ranked by most advanced pipeline stage

Sandoz
SandozAustria - Kundl
3 programs
1
1
NilotinibPhase 3Small Molecule1 trial
imatinib mesylatePhase 21 trial
Dual Energy CTN/A1 trial
Active Trials
NCT03404076Completed93Est. Dec 2020
NCT00867113Completed91Est. Dec 2016
NCT00785785Completed644Est. Oct 2014
Prevail Therapeutics
1 program
1
OlaratumabPhase 2Monoclonal Antibody1 trial
Active Trials
NCT01316263Terminated21Est. Nov 2012
ViiV Healthcare
ViiV HealthcareNC - Durham
1 program
1
PazopanibPhase 2Small Molecule
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals
1 program
1
DCC-3009Phase 1/21 trial
Active Trials
NCT06630234Recruiting120Est. May 2028
Heidelberg Pharma
Heidelberg PharmaGermany - Ladenburg
1 program
Dual Energy CTN/A
Kura Oncology
Kura OncologySAN DIEGO, CA
1 program
ziftomenibPHASE_1Small Molecule1 trial
Active Trials
NCT06655246Recruiting157Est. Dec 2028
GSK
GSKLONDON, United Kingdom
1 program
PazopanibPHASE_2Small Molecule1 trial
Active Trials
NCT01391611Terminated25Est. Dec 2013

Trial Timeline

Clinical trial activity over time

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
SandozNilotinib
Prevail TherapeuticsOlaratumab
GSKPazopanib
Sandozimatinib mesylate
Deciphera PharmaceuticalsDCC-3009
Kura Oncologyziftomenib
SandozDual Energy CT

Clinical Trials (7)

Total enrollment: 1,151 patients across 7 trials

A Study of Nilotinib Versus Imatinib in GIST Patients

Start: Mar 2009Est. completion: Oct 2014644 patients
Phase 3Completed

A Study of Olaratumab (IMC-3G3) in Previously Treated Participants With Unresectable and/or Metastatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Start: Aug 2011Est. completion: Nov 201221 patients
Phase 2Terminated

Pazopanib in Imatinib Refractory or Intolerant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST)

Start: Jul 2011Est. completion: Dec 201325 patients
Phase 2Terminated
NCT00867113Sandozimatinib mesylate

Five Year Adjuvant Imatinib Mesylate (Gleevec®) in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)

Start: Jul 2009Est. completion: Dec 201691 patients
Phase 2Completed

A Master Protocol to Evaluate DCC-3009 in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)

Start: Dec 2024Est. completion: May 2028120 patients
Phase 1/2Recruiting

A Study of Ziftomenib in Combination With Imatinib in Patients With Advanced Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST)

Start: Mar 2025Est. completion: Dec 2028157 patients
Phase 1Recruiting
NCT03404076SandozDual Energy CT

Unifying Advanced Treatment With Advanced Imaging

Start: Dec 2014Est. completion: Dec 202093 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 late-stage (Phase 3) programs, potential near-term approvals
2 actively recruiting trials targeting 1,151 patients
7 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.