AstraZeneca plans to launch 10 new cancer drugs by 2030, based on an oncology development strategy centered on immunotherapy, precision medicine and early treatment.
Osama Rahma, vice president of global clinical strategy and head of gastrointestinal cancers at AstraZeneca, said at "European Society for Medical Oncology Asia (ESMO Asia 2025)" in Singapore on the 6th (local time), "Our goal is to treat one-third of liver cancer patients worldwide, one-third of bile duct cancer patients, and one-seventh of stomach cancer patients with new drugs by 2030."
Rahma emphasized that Asia, in particular, is at the center of this strategy. AstraZeneca currently has about 50 clinical hubs across Asia, and 60% to 70% of patients participating in gastrointestinal cancer clinical research are from Asia.
The company's strategy has three main pillars. First is immunotherapy. Rahma said, "When a patient's immune system is properly activated, the likelihood of eliminating cancer increases," and "recently published studies also showed that carefully designed combinations of immuno-oncology therapies produced meaningful responses."
He added, "We are expanding beyond traditional immunotherapy combinations such as PD-1 and CTLA-4 to a variety of approaches." He said, "In particular, the Bispecific Antibody targeting PD-1/TIGIT, 'Rilvegostomig (study name AZD2936),' more effectively activates immune cells around the tumor, has safety similar to existing PD-1 inhibitors, and shows strengths when used with ADCs or chemotherapy."
The second is precision medicine. Rahma said, "To provide the drug most suitable for a patient, it is essential to precisely identify the characteristics of the cancer and develop therapies that target them," adding, "To that end, we are researching a range of next-generation targeted therapies, including Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC), radioconjugates, PARP inhibitors, PRMT5 inhibitors, and bispecific immunotherapies."
The company is developing ADCs that directly deliver drugs by targeting the HER2 and Claudin 18.2 proteins on the surface of cancer cells in stomach and pancreatic cancer patients. Rahma said, "A phase 3 study is underway, and we plan to apply them to earlier-stage patients going forward."
Radioconjugates are also under development. Rahma explained, "By delivering targeted radiation only to cancer cells that have EGFR and MET proteins, far more precise treatment is possible than with conventional external beam radiation therapy." He added, "We are also developing PARP inhibitors to be safer than the existing 'Olaparib (brand name Lynparza),' and because the drug reaches the brain, we expect it to be effective for patients with pancreatic cancer and upper gastrointestinal cancers."
The last pillar is early treatment. Rahma emphasized, "In the 'MATTERHORN' trial, when immuno-oncology therapy was given to patients with early-stage stomach cancer, a substantial number of those who showed a preoperative pathologic response achieved results effectively at the level of a cure," adding, "Using effective drugs early is the most powerful way to improve long-term survival."