Pfizer's Commitment to Beating Cancer
Cancer is one of the most challenging health crises of our lifetime. Despite significant advancements, millions of people globally receive a cancer diagnosis each year. In 2022, there were an estimated 2.78 million new cancer cases in the 27 European Union Member States (EU27), plus Iceland and Norway, which is equivalent to about five new diagnoses every minute. By 2035, it is anticipated that cancer will be the leading cause of death in Europe[1].
At Pfizer, we’ve shown how we can move with urgency to deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. And now, we’re making significant investments to outdo cancer - nothing is more urgent, or more personal, than our goal to outpace, outsmart, and outmaneuver cancer at every turn.
Our vision is a world where people with cancer live better and longer lives. We are accelerating breakthrough cancer medicines that bring new hope to patients everywhere.
Our industry-leading portfolio and extensive pipeline includes three core mechanisms of action to attack cancer from multiple angles, including small molecules, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and bispecific antibodies, including other immune-oncology biologics. We are focused on delivering transformative therapies in some of the world’s most common cancers: breast cancer, across hormonal subtypes; genitourinary cancer, including prostate and bladder cancer; hematology-oncology, including multiple myeloma and lymphomas, such as Hodgkin’s disease; and thoracic cancers, which includes lung cancer.
We have established a dedicated Oncology R&D organization that will combine the nimbleness of a smaller, science and technology-focused biotech with the resources and scale of the Pfizer enterprise. With approximately 40% of all R&D investment at Pfizer directed towards Oncology, we have a robust and diverse pipeline, with more than 50 programs in development and more than 25 new molecular entities.
We know breakthroughs can’t save lives if they don’t get to the people who need them. We are partnering across the Oncology community to work to meet the needs of patients and help ensure everyone has access to optimal cancer care — no matter who they are or where they live.
Tackling the challenges of Europe’s second biggest cause of death requires collaboration, partnership and novel approaches. We applaud the introduction of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, an initiative launched by the European Commission in 2021 which showcases the European Union and its member states’ strong political commitment to turning the tide against cancer. We collaborate with stakeholders including patient organizations and medical societies and supports initiatives such as the Let’s Talk Prostate Cancer expert group to help advance cancer screening, treatment, and care.
There needs to be a continued focus on beating cancer in the next mandate of the European institutions, and on implementing the measures and recommendations of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan across all Member States. Important inequalities remain in access to prevention, screening, diagnostics, treatment, and survivorship for cancer, as highlighted in the IHE report Tackling inequalities in cancer care in the European Union, and the European Commission and OECD report Beating Cancer inequalities in the EU. Sustained efforts on implementing national cancer plans and applying the measures and recommendations introduced under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, such as the Council recommendations on cancer screening, can help bridge these gaps.
Other legislative measures beyond the Beating Cancer Plan also have an impact on cancer care in Europe: for example, it's crucial that the implementation of the EU HTA Regulation enables European patients’ access to innovative, life-saving oncology treatments, by striking the right balance between evidence-generation and assessment and fostering the use of oncology–relevant endpoints in HTA decision-making. The revision of European General Pharmaceutical Legislation will also have an important impact on all medicines, including oncology treatment, and it must recognize the value of incremental innovation to allow new treatments to meet the unmet medical needs of European patients.
At Pfizer Oncology, we are at the forefront of a new era in cancer care. Driven by science, we are committed to accelerating breakthroughs to help people with cancer live better and longer lives. We call on European policymakers to continue their ambitious focus on beating cancer, so we can work together to turn the tide on cancer.