Pharma Giants Fuel Speculation with Cancer Push

Pfizer's Seagen portfolio saw a 21% growth in the US, excluding a year-earlier stocking benefit. The company's Padcev, in combination with Merck's Keytruda, showed a 35% reduction in the risk of death in a bladder-cancer study. Pfizer is now testing whether Padcev can help some patients avoid bladder-removal surgery.

Merck and Amgen are also expanding their cancer portfolios. Merck's sac-TMT, an antibody-drug conjugate, delivered cancer-killing medicine directly to tumor cells carrying a protein called Trop-2. The company is testing it in 17 Phase 3 trials across several cancers.

Amgen is pursuing the same survival-focused strategy with T-cell engagers, which help immune cells recognize and attack cancer cells. Its innovative-oncology portfolio grew 18% to about $2 billion, while sales of its lung-cancer drug Imdelltra more than doubled to $288 million.

ImmunityBio's Anktiva aligns with Big Pharma's push toward bladder-preserving, immune-based cancer treatments. Approved with BCG for certain bladder-cancer patients, it activates immune cells and may help some avoid bladder removal. Sellas' Phase 3 Regal trial is testing GPS as maintenance therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with 78 of the required 80 events recorded in the Regal trial.