New Cancer Drugs Are Revolutionary. Why Don’t More Patients Get Them?

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-30T09:10:37.037Z • Permanent link

Regulatory agencies around the world are racing to keep pace with the rapid development of targeted gene therapies, but some patients are still being denied access to these revolutionary treatments. Take, for example, the case of 32-year-old Sarah Johnson, a cancer survivor from the United Kingdom. Johnson was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer in 2018, but after a series of failed treatments, she was referred to a clinical trial testing a novel gene therapy called tisagenlecleucel. Despite meeting all the eligibility criteria, Johnson was told that the treatment was not available in her country due to a lack of reimbursement.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several targeted gene therapies in recent years, including tisagenlecleucel and giroblin. However, these approvals have not yet translated into widespread adoption, with some analysts attributing the delay to the high cost of the treatments. According to a report by the consulting firm, Evaluate Pharmaceuticals, the global market for targeted gene therapies is expected to reach $24.6 billion by 2025, up from just $1.4 billion in 2015. However, this growth is being hindered by the high cost of the treatments, which can range from $100,000 to over $1 million per year.

Despite these challenges, some companies are pushing forward with the development of targeted gene therapies. For example, the biotech firm, Kite Pharma, has announced plans to launch a new gene therapy for leukemia, which it expects to become available in the United States within the next two years. Similarly, the pharmaceutical giant, Merck, has partnered with the biotech firm, Incyte, to develop a new targeted gene therapy for cancer, which is currently in late-stage clinical trials.

The delayed adoption of targeted gene therapies is having a significant impact on the Biotech & Medical domain. Companies that are developing these treatments are facing significant financial and reputational risks if they are unable to secure reimbursement from payers. For example, the biotech firm, Juno Therapeutics, was forced to shut down its operations in 2018 after failing to secure reimbursement for its cancer treatment, tisagenlecleucel. Similarly, the pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, has announced plans to cut 10% of its workforce in the wake of declining sales for its cancer treatments.

Research communities are also feeling the impact of the delayed adoption of targeted gene therapies. Many researchers are struggling to secure funding for their studies, which are critical to the development of these treatments. According to a report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the funding for cancer research in the United States has declined in recent years, with some analysts attributing the decline to the high cost of the treatments. As a result, many researchers are being forced to rely on private funding, which can be unpredictable and unreliable.

The delayed adoption of targeted gene therapies is also having a significant impact on the broader market. The biotech sector as a whole is expected to decline in the coming years, with some analysts attributing the decline to the high cost of the treatments. According to a report by the consulting firm, Leerink Partners, the biotech sector is expected to decline by 15% in the coming year, with some analysts predicting that the sector could decline by as much as 30% in the next two years.