[Newsmp] As next-generation cancer drugs like CAR-T, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and cancer immunotherapy are witnessing promising outcomes, treatments for SMA, criticized for their hefty price tags, find themselves at a standstill.

According to the quarterly reports of global big pharma, the market for next-generation cancer drugs is still growing rapidly.

In the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) market, Keytruda (MSD)'s quarterly sales exceeded KRW 8 trillion. (based on the exchange rate on Aug 9)

Keytruda surpassed KRW 7 trillion in the third quarter of last year, and in the second quarter, it achieved sales of about KRW 8.25 trillion with a growth rate of nearly 20%, breaking through the KRW 8 trillion mark.

Leading the field of biliary tract cancer, Imfinzi (AstraZeneca) achieved approximately KRW 1.4 trillion in revenue in the last quarter with a growth rate of 54.8%.

Opdivo (BMSㆍOno) and Tecentriq (Roche) have shown a somewhat stagnant growth in recent years, in contrast to other cancer drugs.

After achieving sales of around KRW 2.9 trillion in the last fourth quarter, Opdivo has reported underwhelming results for two consecutive quarters.

Similarly, Tecentriq retreated to KRW 1.38 trillion in the first quarter, after surpassing KRW 1.5 trillion in the fourth quarter of the previous year, but it returned to around KRW 1.4 trillion in the second quarter.

Moreover, Yervoy (BMS) and Tyvyt (Eli Lilly)'s quarterly results have been volatile, with large increases and decreases in sales.

In the ADCs market, Kadcyla (Roche) is under pressure from latecomers, but Enhertu (Daiichi Sankyo/AstraZeneca), Polivy (Roche), Besponsa (Pfizer), and Trodelvy (Gilead Sciences) have expanded their sales significantly.

Enhertu (AstraZeneca) witnessed an almost twofold increase in the second quarter, reaching approximately KRW 88 billion, compared to the preceding quarter's KRW 49 billion.

Enhertu had a slow growth rate until last year, but it has been expanding its sales rapidly since it obtained additional indications for HER-2 low-expressing breast cancer in the United States in August last year and Europe in January this year.

Besponsa's quarterly sales have been stuck at around KRW 70 billion for nearly a year, but in the second quarter, it exceeded KRW 150 billion, nearly doubling in size.

Polivy, which has been steadily expanding its sales, also expanded its sales by about KRW 80 billion from the previous quarter to over KRW 300 billion, and Trodelvy also increased its size by about KRW 50 billion to reach KRW 340 billion.

Unlike the other drugs, Kadcyla's sales declined 12.6% year-on-year due to the competition from the latecomers, but it is still ahead of the latecomers with sales of over KRW 700 billion.

As Kymriah (Novartis) experiences a slowdown in its growth, the CAR-T cell therapy market is facing rapid expansion by subsequent players.

Abecma (BMS) surpassed Kymriah with sales of over KRW 170 billion, growing by nearly 50% year-on-year, while Carvykti (Janssen) grew by nearly 400% year-on-year, exceeding KRW 150 billion in sales and approaching Kymriah.

Breyanzi (BMS) also exceeded KRW 100 billion and reached KRW 130 billion with a three-digit growth rate, and Tecartus (Gilead Sciences) also achieved sales of over KRW 110 billion for two consecutive quarters with a growth rate of over 20%.

Yescarta (Gilead Sciences), the flagship product in the CAR-T cell therapy market, maintained a growth rate of nearly 30% and posted sales of around KRW 500 billion in the second quarter.

In contrast, Kymriah has been declining for two consecutive quarters since surpassing KRW 180 billion in the fourth quarter of last year, and its size has shrunk to about KRW 170 billion in the second quarter.

Offering a variety of options through three different formulations, the SMA treatments market has seen a slowdown in its growth rate.

The leading product, Spinraza (Biogen), has recorded disappointing results for two consecutive quarters, since surpassing KRW 600 billion in the fourth quarter of last year.

Evrysdi (Roche), which had closely followed Spinraza with steep growth, exceeded KRW 540 billion in the previous first quarter but retreated to around KRW 510 billion in the second quarter.

Furthermore, the only one-shot treatment, Zolgensma (Novartis), barely maintained the KRW 400 billion mark in the second quarter, but declined by 17.9% year-on-year.