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Lung Cancer, Nonsmall Cell

Oncology
5
Pipeline Programs
9
Companies
8
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
1
2
2
0
0
0
Early DiscoveryClinical DevelopmentMarket

Drug Modality Breakdown

Monoclonal Antibody
150%
Small Molecule
150%
+ 7 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

9 companies ranked by most advanced pipeline stage

Colorado Therapeutics
Colorado TherapeuticsCO - Louisville
1 program
1
CrizotinibPhase 2Small Molecule1 trial
Active Trials
NCT03088930Completed3Est. Jan 2021
Betta Pharmaceuticals
Betta PharmaceuticalsChina - Hangzhou
1 program
1
X-396Phase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT04415320Unknown37Est. Jun 2021
Sharp Therapeutics
Sharp TherapeuticsPA - Pittsburgh
1 program
1
SLC-391Phase 1/2
MSD
MSDIreland - Ballydine
1 program
1
SLC-391Phase 1/21 trial
Active Trials
NCT05860296Terminated36Est. Dec 2025
Io Therapeutics
Io TherapeuticsTX - Spring
1 program
1
IRX4204Phase 11 trial
Active Trials
NCT02991651Terminated12Est. May 2025
Verona Pharma
Verona PharmaUK - London
1 program
ImmunonutritionN/A1 trial
Active Trials
NCT05384873Recruiting180Est. Jul 2027
Genentech
GenentechCA - Oceanside
1 program
AtezolizumabPHASE_1_2Monoclonal Antibody1 trial
Active Trials
NCT04691817Recruiting28Est. Sep 2027
Bristol Myers Squibb
1 program
Blood screeningPHASE_1_21 trial
Active Trials
NCT04631731Unknown200Est. Dec 2025
Biotest Pharmaceuticals
Biotest PharmaceuticalsGermany - Dreieich
1 program
NanoPacPHASE_21 trial
Active Trials
NCT04314895Completed18Est. Sep 2023

Trial Timeline

Clinical trial activity over time

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Biotest PharmaceuticalsNanoPac
Betta PharmaceuticalsX-396
Colorado TherapeuticsCrizotinib
GenentechAtezolizumab
MSDSLC-391
Bristol Myers SquibbBlood screening
Io TherapeuticsIRX4204
Verona PharmaImmunonutrition

Clinical Trials (8)

Total enrollment: 514 patients across 8 trials

Trial of NanoPac Intratumoral Injection in Lung Cancer

Start: Apr 2021Est. completion: Sep 202318 patients
Phase 2Completed

X-396 (Ensartinib) Capsules in ALK-Positive NSCLC Patients With Brain Metastases

Start: Mar 2019Est. completion: Jun 202137 patients
Phase 2Unknown

Evaluating Crizotinib in the Neoadjuvant Setting in Patients With Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Start: Dec 2017Est. completion: Jan 20213 patients
Phase 2Completed

Tocilizumab and Atezolizumab in Adults With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Refractory to 1st Line Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Based Therapy

Start: Jul 2023Est. completion: Sep 202728 patients
Phase 1/2Recruiting

Testing Experimental Anti-cancer Drug SLC-391 With an Approved Immunotherapy Drug, Pembrolizumab, for Advanced Lung Cancers

Start: May 2023Est. completion: Dec 202536 patients
Phase 1/2Terminated

Risk Factors of Immune-ChEckpoint Inhibitors MEdiated Liver, Gastrointestinal, Endocrine and Skin Toxicity

Start: Dec 2020Est. completion: Dec 2025200 patients
Phase 1/2Unknown

Study of IRX4204 With Erlotinib in Previously Treated Advanced NSCLC

Start: Dec 2016Est. completion: May 202512 patients
Phase 1Terminated

Immunonutrition for Improving the Efficacy of Immunotherapy in Patients With Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Start: Jun 2023Est. completion: Jul 2027180 patients
N/ARecruiting

Related Jobs in Oncology

Phase Legend

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

Key Insights

2 actively recruiting trials targeting 514 patients
9 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.