Stories

Perspectives

Why I’m optimistic about the future of targeted oncology

March 25, 2022
About the Author

David has over thirty years of industry experience, where he held various global executive leadership positions in large pharmaceutical and commercial-stage biotechnology companies focused on oncology.

As originally published on LinkedIn

Over the past 26 years, the overall cancer death rate in the U.S. has fallen significantly, driven by improvements for four major cancers, including lung cancer.1 Yet, in the U.S., almost 609,360 deaths from cancer are expected in 2022 – that’s about 1,670 deaths per day.2

It’s a stark reminder that the promise of science to deliver for patients has never been greater and our work in targeted oncology has never been more important.

I learned some of the most important professional lessons of my life early on in my career – and that is you have to be courageous, accountable and lead with open-minded empathy no matter the challenge, and importantly, work with a sense of urgency.

At Mirati Therapeutics, our team lives these values so that we can positively impact the lives of those living with cancer.

As I recently shared at the 40th Annual Virtual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, this is a transformative time for Mirati and we have tremendous opportunity ahead of us.

I’m excited about what 2022 will bring for patients with cancer.

I strongly believe Mirati is built to deliver a sustainable flow of innovative targeted cancer medicines. Our strategy, which has been consistent from the day we were founded, is to double down on investigating the genetic and immunological drivers of cancer. We have the capabilities and discipline to have a meaningful impact.

And we’re delivering.

There is strong momentum with our two late-stage programs and a significant near-term launch opportunity for a type of mutated lung cancer.

What I’m even more excited about is the breadth and depth of our pipeline and scientific platforms, including our potentially best-in-class programs like PRMT5, SOS1, and next-gen KRAS inhibitors, all of which are backed by the right expertise and resources.

What it comes down to though, is the people.

Our people are passionate about the work we do for patients, and have tremendous energy about the possibilities ahead.

All of this to say, I am optimistic about the future of Mirati because we have bold science, the best talent and a well-defined path to sustainable growth.

I look forward to sharing my perspective along the way.

  1. Facts & Figures 2020 Reports Largest One-year Drop in Cancer Mortality ;
  2. Cancer Facts & Figures 2022