Lung Cancer
Pipeline by Development Stage
Drug Modality Breakdown
Lung Cancer is a $6.2B market in mature/consolidating phase with significant unmet need in ALK-driven and EGFR-mutant subtypes.
Key Trends
- Dominance of targeted therapies over cytotoxics; ALK inhibitors and EGFR-TKIs driving value
- High clinical trial activity (3,194 trials) indicates robust pipeline innovation despite market maturity
- Patent cliffs approaching 2028-2031 for legacy small molecules; opportunity for generic competition and biosimilar entry
Career Verdict
Lung Cancer remains a strategically important specialty with stable revenue, extensive R&D investment, and 7,970 jobs, making it solid for mid-career oncology professionals but less explosive than emerging areas like cell therapy.
AI-generated market analysis based on FDA, CMS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and hiring data
Market Leaders
| # | Product | Company | Revenue | Share | Stage | Trend | LOE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ALECENSA (alectinib hydrochloride) | Roche | $186M | 3% | Peak | Stable | 9.0yr |
| 2 | TARCEVA (erlotinib hydrochloride) | Lavipharm | — | — | Loss of Exclusivity Approaching | Declining | |
| 3 | ETOPOPHOS (etoposide phosphate) | Bristol Myers Squibb | — | — | Loss of Exclusivity Approaching | Declining | |
| 4 | HYCAMTIN (topotecan) | Novartis | — | — | Loss of Exclusivity Approaching | Declining |
Drug Class Breakdown
Growing as standard-of-care for ALK+ NSCLC
Stable; approaching generics; generational improvement focus
Declining; legacy cytotoxics losing market share
Consolidating; limited new entry
Career Outlook
StableLung Cancer is a mature, high-value oncology market with stable 7,970-job base and consistent revenue ($6.2B). While growth is modest compared to emerging indications (cell therapy, immuno-oncology platforms), the therapeutic area offers deep technical expertise, established career pathways, and reliable pharmaceutical employer presence. Patent cliffs 2028–2031 will trigger consolidation and reallocation, creating mid-career advancement opportunities.
Breaking In
Entry candidates should target Commercial or Clinical Operations roles at large companies (J&J, AstraZeneca, Roche) where oncology specialty training and patient advocacy networks are robust; avoid early-stage positions in declining franchises (TARCEVA, HYCAMTIN generics).
For Experienced Professionals
Experienced professionals should consider Medical Affairs or Market Access roles to command $300K+ salaries and influence treatment paradigm shifts; strategically time moves to avoid companies facing major LOE cliffs (Roche 2028, Novartis 2028).
In-Demand Skills
Best For
Hiring Landscape
Lung Cancer supports 7,970 jobs across 15 major companies, with Commercial roles (1,447 positions) leading demand, followed by Manufacturing (556) and Engineering (357). AstraZeneca, Roche, and Pfizer are top employers in this indication. Salary ranges reflect oncology premium, with Medical Affairs and Clinical Operations commanding $302K–$307K average.
Top Hiring Companies
By Department
Strong hiring in Commercial and high-value Medical Affairs roles signals sustained investment despite patent cliffs; entry-level R&D salaries are modest but benefit from oncology premium at senior levels.
On Market (1)
Approved therapies currently available
Competitive Landscape
107 companies ranked by most advanced pipeline stage
+77 more companies
Trial Timeline
Clinical trial activity over time
Showing 15 of 48 trials with date data
Clinical Trials (50)
Total enrollment: 13,955 patients across 50 trials
Effect of Preoperative Budesonide Inhalation on Arterial Blood Oxygenation and Intrapulmonary Shunt During OLV
Fractionated Versus Target-controlled Propofol Administration in Bronchoscopy
A Clinical Study of Pembrolizumab (+) Berahyaluronidase Alfa (MK-3475A) to Treat Newly-diagnosed Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (MK-3475A-F84)
A Study of QL1706 in Combination With Chemotherapy in PD-L1-Negative Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
A Prevention Trial of Canakinumab in Subjects at High Risk for Lung Cancer
Bintrafusp Alfa Program Rollover Study
A Trial to Compare the Efficacy, Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Immunogenicity of HD204 to Avastin® in Advanced Non-squamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients
99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT/CT for Integrin Imaging of Lung Cancer
A Study Comparing SB8 and Avastin® in Patients With Advanced Non-squamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
An Investigational Immuno-therapy Study of Nivolumab, or Nivolumab in Combination With Ipilimumab, or Placebo in Patients With Extensive-Stage Disease Small Cell Lung Cancer (ED-SCLC) After Completion of Platinum-based Chemotherapy
Effectiveness Study of Nivolumab Compared to Chemotherapy in Patients With Relapsed Small-cell Lung Cancer
SENTINEL : Impact of the Use of a Web-application for the Detection of Lung Cancer Relapse
Study of Patritumab in Combination With Erlotinib in Subjects With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). (HER3-Lung)
PF-00299804 in Stage IIIB or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Not Responding to Standard Therapy for Advanced or Metastatic Cancer
Comparison of Different Types of Surgery in Treating Patients With Stage IA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Study of Bevacizumab Alone or Combined With Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin as Support Therapy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients
Cetuximab, Capecitabine, Oxaliplatin and Bevacizumab in Advanced Colorectal Cancer
TRACE: Tirapazamine-Radiation And Cisplatin Evaluation
Study of Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, and Gemcitabine Versus Gemcitabine and Vinorelbine for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Concomitant Radiation and Cisplatin With and Without Tirapazamine in Treatment of Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
A Study to Diagnose Lung Cancer by Sputum Cytology (01-312)
Carboplatin and Paclitaxel With or Without ISIS 3521 in Treating Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Cisplatin Plus Vinorelbine With or Without Tirapazamine in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Gemcitabine With or Without CI-994 in Treating Patients With Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Carboplatin, Paclitaxel, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer That Cannot Be Removed During Surgery
Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Paclitaxel With or Without Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Chemotherapy Followed by Peripheral Stem Cell or Bone Marrow Transplant Compared With Chemotherapy Alone in Treating Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer
Interventional Software for Multi-immunotherapy of Solid Tumors
Study of CTDNA Response Adaptive Immuno-Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer
Effect on the Nutritional and Inflammatory Status of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)- Containing Supplement in Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer
Liposomal SN-38 in Treating Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer
Gemcitabine Hydrochloride and Carboplatin With or Without MK-0646 as First-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
A Single Arm, Phase 2 Study of Datopotamab Deruxtecan, Carboplatin, and Pembrolizumab for Treatment-naive Brain Metastases From NSCLC (Non-small Cell Lung Cancer)
Study to Investigate Luveltamab Tazevibulin in Adults With Advanced or Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Study of Novel Treatment Combinations in Patients With Lung Cancer
REStoring lymphoCytes Using NKTR-255* After chemoradiothErapy in Solid Tumors (RESCUE)
A Study to Evaluate Pegsitacianine, an Intraoperative Fluorescence Imaging Agent for the Detection of Lung Malignancies
Osimertinib and Abemaciclib in EGFR Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer After Osimertinib Resistance
Durvalumab Followed by Chemoradiation and Consolidation Durvalumab for Stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Feasibility Study to Treat Lung Cancer With the Permanently Implantable LDR CivaSheet®
Anlotinib Versus Docetaxel as the Second-line Treatment in EGFR Wild Type Patients With Advanced NSCLC
X-396 Capsule in Advanced NSCLC Patients With ROS1 Gene Rearrangement
Study of Fruquintinib (HMPL-013) in High Risk Patients With Advanced NSCLC
SPI-1005 for Prevention and Treatment of Chemotherapy Induced Hearing Loss
A Study of Pembrolizumab Plus Epacadostat With Platinum-based Chemotherapy Versus Pembrolizumab Plus Platinum-based Chemotherapy Plus Placebo in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (KEYNOTE-715-06/ECHO-306-06)
Pembrolizumab Plus Epacadostat vs Pembrolizumab Plus Placebo in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (KEYNOTE-654-05/ECHO-305-05)
A Study of EGF816 and Gefitinib in TKI-naïve EGFR-mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Using Biomarkers to Predict TB Treatment Duration
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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.