News about cancer

Reed Jobs, founder of oncology-focused venture capital firm Yosemite and son of Steve Jobs, told Fortune that GLP-1 drugs could be among the most important medicines to reach the market, with possible implications for cancer and cardiovascular disease. He called the GLP-1 revolution one of the biggest biotechnology developments of the past three years, while acknowledging drawbacks such as muscle loss. A JAMA Oncology study of 86,632 adults found GLP-1 users had a 17% lower hazard of developing the 14 cancers studied than nonusers, though the finding shows an association rather than proof that the drugs prevent cancer directly. Jobs said Yosemite's second fund exceeded its $350 million target and was oversubscribed, with AbbVie and Amgen among the investors. A Deloitte report found obesity drugs accounted for 25% of late-stage pipeline sales forecasts for major pharmaceutical companies, up from 1% in 2022.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals reported second-quarter revenue up 16% year over year to $1.2 billion, with Xywav at $471.2 million (up 13.5%) and Epidiolex at $292.1 million (up 16%). Xywav, about 39% of revenue, faces competition from Lumryz and generics for Xyrem, which the author says could weigh on the stock until the company diversifies its portfolio. Oncology revenue rose almost 32% to $362.3 million, led by Zepzelca at $105.8 million (up 42%). Ziihera received a label expansion in August for gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma and is being tested for several other potential indications, while Modeyso was approved in the U.S. last year. The author says the stock is attractive at current levels for investors willing to hold for at least five years, trading at 10.9x forward earnings versus a 19.2x average for healthcare stocks.

A late-stage trial found that adding Amgen's Imdelltra to AstraZeneca's Imfinzi cut the risk of death by 58% in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. Median overall survival rose to 21.1 months, compared with 12.7 months for Imfinzi alone, in patients whose cancer had not progressed after initial Imfinzi and chemotherapy. Nearly 80% of patients on the combination were alive at one year, versus 53% on Imfinzi alone. Imdelltra posted $288 million in second-quarter sales, up 115% year over year, after $627 million in global sales in 2025. Amgen said the results suggest earlier use of the drug could meaningfully alter the course of the disease, though the trial did not compare the combination with other first-line treatments.