“The main issue in oncology at the moment is that cancer still exists,” says Jane Griffiths, Janssen company group chairman for EMEA, who spoke to PharmaTimes at the 21st Congress of the European Hematology Association in June.
Nevertheless, a cure for many cancers is not far off. “It is within sight now; at Janssen, we’re very excited about what’s coming through, some amazing new targets, and not just in our own portfolio. Other companies’ pipelines are looking just as good. The industry is really addressing some unmet needs at the moment.”
It is an exciting time for both patients and pharma, says Griffiths. “At the end of the day, a patient with a diagnosis in one of these diseases wants more hope than fear, and that’s what we’re bringing with these medicines.”
This philosophy has spurred Janssen to launch its Victories Over Cancer campaign, aiming to inspire cancer patients with stories of personal triumphs over cancer. As part of the campaign, people share pictures of themselves making the V for Victory sign.
“There’s this aura around cancer, even for those who are treatable, that it’s a death sentence; there’s a fear about it,” she says. “If you look at breast cancer, 20 years ago one-in-three women survived for five years but now that has doubled to two-in-three.
“We wanted to have something on the web so that when people search for ‘cancer’ they don’t always go straight into the depths of despair over survival rates, rather they find something that lifts them up and shows them that victory is possible through great treatments and great care,” she says.
With cancer, it’s about both small and big victories. “There are many steps along the way to reach a cure or remission for cancer, and every step is important. It could be that your disease is stabilised, which is a perfectly achievable thing with many cancers.”
Griffiths believes pharma is key to helping people achieve these victories. “What I’m seeing in the industry now is an amazing explosion of interesting science, and here at EHA our data for Darzalex and Imbruvica exemplify what’s happening for cancer at the moment. I think it’s a very positive and hopeful time for patients.”
See a more in-depth interview with Jane Griffiths in the upcoming July/August issue of PharmaTimes – out mid-July.
