Pfizer to find new drugs to treat stomach, liver, head & neck cancers specific to Asia: Reports

Pfizer is planning discover more drugs to cancers widely prevalent in the Asian region such as cancers of the liver and head and neck, reports said.

Pfizer’s clinical research unit in Singapore would conduct more research to design drugs to for these cancers which are more common in the Asia-Pacific region

Occurrence rates for specific types of cancer, for example gastric cancer, liver cancer, and head and neck cancer, are significantly higher in Asia.

The increased incidence of these cancers is probably due to factors such as diet, environment and genetics, stated Steve Yang, head of Pfizer’s R&D in Asia.

“People often talk about personalised medicine and the challenge and opportunity is for scientists not only to understand the disease at a collective level, but for each different sub-population, whether we can identify specific mutations that are most relevant and then match that with our own drugs,” said Yang was quoted as saying.

Pfizer’s clinical research unit in Singapore which was started 3-1/2 years ago, has a volunteer list of 14,000 healthy individuals.

Pfizer’s Asia-specific research is yet to come with any new drug candidates.

Singapore research unit is one of three worldwide – the other two being Brussels in Belgium and Connecticut in the United States.

Pfizer is also interested in other disease areas such as diabetes and tuberculosis which are also alarmingly high in the Asia-Pacific.

Pfizer forged alliances with MicuRx Pharmaceuticals Inc and China-based Cumencor Pharmaceuticals to develop new drugs to against tuberculosis strains that are resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin, the two most powerful anti-TB drugs.

In January, Pfizer entered into a collaboration with India’s Strides Arcolab on the supply of 40 generic products.

Pfizer’s already had two similar alliances last year with Aurobindo and Claris LifeSciences of India.

Under the new collaboration Pfizer will commercialize Stride’s off-patent sterile injectable and oral products in the United States through its Established Products Business Unit.

These finished dosage form products will be licensed and supplied by Strides and Onco Laboratories Limited and Onco Therapies Limited, two joint ventures between Strides and Aspen, South Africa, in which each has a 50% ownership interest.

The first of the products commercialized under Pfizer-Strides collaboration is expected to be launched in 2010.

In May, Pfizer, the world’s largest drug maker, acquired rights to 55 generic  pills and 20 injectables for more than 70 emerging and developed markets through new deals.

Pfizer Inc, also entered into a licensing pact with Indian generic injectables producer Claris Lifesciences besides expanding it present alliance with Aurobindo.

Pfizer has expanded the existing collaboration with the Hyderabad, South India-based Aurobindo Pharma Ltd reached earlier this year to sell 60 off-patent drugs. Meanwhile Pfizer’s agreement with Claris Lifesciences Ltd is to market 15 off-patent injectable drugs.

Pfizer has prioritized making licensing deals to expand its injectables business, in which it believes there are relatively few rivals and maintains it has a competitive cost structure.

Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer has acquired rights to 55 solid oral dose products and 20 sterile injectable products for patients in more than 70 emerging market countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.