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Malaysian Reserve
31-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
KIT Inhibitors Market Growth: Key Trends and Future Projections in the 7MM Upto 2034
The KIT inhibitors market remains highly competitive, driven by established players such as ONO Pharmaceutical and Blueprint Medicines, among others. At the same time, companies like Celldex Therapeutics, Cogent Biosciences, and Blueprint Medicines¸, among others, are actively advancing pipeline candidates across various stages of development. This sustained R&D activity reflects ongoing innovation and intensifying competition within the KIT-targeted therapy landscape. LAS VEGAS, July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — DelveInsight's KIT Inhibitors Market Size, Target Population, Competitive Landscape & Market Forecast report includes a comprehensive understanding of current treatment practices, addressable patient population, which includes top indications such as Systemic Mastocytosis, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST), Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU), Graft-versus-host Disease (GvHD), Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor (TGCT), Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis (AdvSM), Non-advanced Systemic Mastocytosis (NonAdvSM), Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis (ISM), and others. The selected indications are based on approved therapies and ongoing pipeline activity. The report also provides insights into the emerging KIT inhibitors, market share of individual therapies, and current and forecasted market size from 2020 to 2034, segmented into 7MM. Key Takeaways from the KIT Inhibitors Market Report As per DelveInsight's analysis, the total market size of KIT inhibitors in the 7MM is expected to surge significantly by 2034. The report provides the total potential number of patients in the indications, such as Systemic Mastocytosis, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST), Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU), Graft-versus-host Disease (GvHD), Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor (TGCT), Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis (AdvSM), Non-advanced Systemic Mastocytosis (NonAdvSM), Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis (ISM), and others. Leading KIT inhibitors companies, such as Celldex Therapeutics, Cogent Biosciences, Blueprint Medicines, and others, are developing novel KIT inhibitors that can be available in the KIT inhibitors market in the coming years. Some of the key KIT inhibitors in the pipeline include Barzolvolimab (CDX-0159), Bezuclastinib (CGT9486), Elenestinib (BLU-263), and others. Discover which indication is expected to grab the major KIT inhibitors market share @ KIT Inhibitors Market Report KIT Inhibitors Market Dynamics The KIT inhibitors market is shaped by a combination of growing clinical demand, limited therapeutic options, and ongoing advancements in targeted therapies. KIT, a receptor tyrosine kinase, plays a crucial role in cell growth and survival, and its mutations are strongly linked to malignancies such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), systemic mastocytosis, and certain leukemias. The rising incidence of these cancers and the need for more effective treatments have fueled the demand for KIT inhibitors. However, the current landscape is dominated by a few branded drugs, such as AYVAKIT (avapritinib), QINLOCK (ripretinib), and ROMVIMZA (vimseltinib), with no generic options available, reflecting a relatively narrow competitive field. A key market driver is the increasing understanding of KIT-driven oncogenesis and the development of highly selective inhibitors that can overcome resistance to first-generation therapies. For example, mutations in the KIT gene often lead to resistance against older drugs like imatinib, pushing the need for next-generation inhibitors with improved efficacy and tolerability. In addition, strategic collaborations, licensing agreements, and FDA fast-track designations for KIT-targeting agents have accelerated innovation, further supporting market growth. Biopharmaceutical companies are also investing heavily in research to explore KIT inhibition beyond GIST, expanding the potential market size. Despite these opportunities, the KIT inhibitors market faces notable challenges. The high cost of branded therapies and strict reimbursement policies in several regions can limit patient access, especially in emerging economies. Moreover, the complexity of targeting KIT mutations, which often co-occur with other genetic alterations, makes drug development challenging and leads to high attrition rates in clinical trials. Competition from alternative treatment modalities, including immunotherapies and other targeted agents, also poses a threat to the growth of this niche segment. Looking ahead, the KIT inhibitors market is expected to witness steady growth as novel agents enter the pipeline and existing drugs gain approvals for expanded indications. Personalized medicine approaches, including genetic testing and biomarker-driven therapy selection, will play a critical role in shaping treatment protocols. Advances in drug design, such as allosteric inhibitors and combination regimens targeting resistance pathways, are likely to create new opportunities, making this a dynamic and evolving therapeutic area over the next decade. KIT Inhibitors Treatment Market The current landscape of US FDA-approved KIT inhibitors is relatively narrow, with only a few branded therapies available, such as ROMVIMZA (vimseltinib), AYVAKIT (avapritinib), and QINLOCK (ripretinib), and no generic alternatives on the market. This limited competition highlights the inherent challenges of effectively targeting KIT mutations. ROMVIMZA is an oral kinase inhibitor with high selectivity for the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R). Preclinical research has shown that vimseltinib inhibits CSF1R autophosphorylation, blocks ligand-stimulated signaling, and reduces the proliferation of CSF1R-positive cells. It is indicated for adults with symptomatic TGCT where surgical resection would likely result in major functional impairment or severe complications. In February 2025, the US FDA approved ROMVIMZA for this indication. Previously, in July 2024, the EMA accepted the marketing authorization application (MAA) for vimseltinib in TGCT. The drug is also being evaluated in a Phase II trial for chronic GvHD. QINLOCK is a broad-spectrum tyrosine kinase inhibitor designed to target KIT and PDGFRA, including both wild-type and resistant primary and secondary mutations frequently seen in GIST. It also demonstrates in vitro activity against kinases such as PDGFRB, TIE2, VEGFR2, and BRAF. Clinically, QINLOCK is approved for adults with advanced GIST who have progressed after at least three prior kinase inhibitors, including imatinib, filling a critical therapeutic gap in later-line treatment. QINLOCK received FDA approval in May 2020, followed by European Commission approval in November 2021. AYVAKIT is a potent and selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets key activating mutations in KIT and PDGFRA, including KIT D816V and PDGFRA D842V, with sub-nanomolar to low nanomolar activity in preclinical studies. It effectively inhibits autophosphorylation and cell proliferation in KIT-driven and PDGFRA-resistant models. Clinically, AYVAKIT is approved for unresectable or metastatic GIST with PDGFRA exon 18 mutations (including D842V), as well as AdvSM and ISM, but its use is restricted in patients with platelet counts below 50×10⁹/L. It was first approved by the FDA in January 2020 for adults with unresectable or metastatic GIST harboring PDGFRA exon 18 mutations, including D842V—the first therapy to specifically target this mutation. The European Commission subsequently granted conditional marketing authorization under the name AYVAKYT in September 2020 for monotherapy in adults with unresectable or metastatic GIST carrying PDGFRA D842V mutations. Learn more about the KIT inhibitors @ KIT Inhibitors Analysis Key Emerging KIT Inhibitors and Companies A growing pipeline of KIT inhibitors is being investigated across a diverse set of indications beyond oncology, including CSU, multiple sclerosis, and GvHD. Prominent candidates such as barzolvolimab (CDX-0159), bezuclastinib (CGT9486), and elenestinib (BLU-263), among others, reflect this expanding therapeutic interest, signaling the potential of KIT-targeted therapies in addressing immune-mediated and inflammatory conditions. Barzolvolimab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that specifically targets the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT, effectively blocking its activity. By inhibiting KIT signaling, which regulates mast cell development, survival, and function, barzolvolimab tackles a critical driver of mast cell–mediated inflammatory processes. This mechanism is especially significant in diseases like chronic urticaria, where abnormal mast cell activation is central to disease progression. Barzolvolimab is in various stages of clinical development for multiple inflammatory disorders, including chronic spontaneous urticaria, chronic inducible urticaria, eosinophilic esophagitis, prurigo nodularis, and atopic dermatitis, with CSU being the most advanced program, currently in Phase III. At the EAACI Congress in June 2025, Celldex Therapeutics presented strong Phase II data showing durable complete responses and notable quality-of-life improvements at 76 weeks, extending well beyond the dosing period. Additional data revealed significant reductions in angioedema at 52 weeks, reinforcing barzolvolimab's potential as a transformative therapy for CSU. Bezuclastinib (CGT9486) is a highly selective and potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that targets the KIT D816V mutation, a primary driver in most systemic mastocytosis cases, as well as other KIT exon 17 mutations often found in advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors. It is being developed for patients with non-advanced systemic mastocytosis (NonAdvSM), advanced systemic mastocytosis (AdvSM), and GIST. In February 2025, Cogent Biosciences presented data on the efficacy and safety of bezuclastinib in adult patients with NonAdvSM from the Phase II SUMMIT trial at the AAAAI Annual Meeting (February 28–March 3, 2025). Cogent Biosciences aims to achieve key milestones for bezuclastinib in 2025: release top-line Phase II SUMMIT trial data for NonAdvSM in July; report Phase II APEX trial results in AdvSM in the second half of the year; submit the first New Drug Application (NDA) by year-end; and present top-line results from the pivotal Phase III PEAK trial in imatinib-resistant GIST patients by late 2025. Elenestinib (BLU-263) is an investigational oral, potent, and highly selective inhibitor of KIT D816V, designed for the treatment of indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM) and other mast cell disorders. It is engineered to offer similar potency to avapritinib while minimizing off-target effects and central nervous system penetration. Elenestinib is currently being studied in the ongoing registration-enabling Phase II/III HARBOR trial in ISM, which includes a dose-finding Part 1, a registration-focused Part 2, and a long-term treatment Part 3. Top-line 12-week results from Part 1 of the HARBOR trial were announced in December 2022 and subsequently presented at the 65th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in December 2023. The anticipated launch of these emerging therapies is poised to transform the KIT inhibitors market landscape in the coming years. As these cutting-edge therapies continue to mature and gain regulatory approval, they are expected to reshape the KIT inhibitors market landscape, offering new standards of care and unlocking opportunities for medical innovation and economic growth. To know more about KIT inhibitors clinical trials, visit @ KIT Inhibitors Treatment KIT Inhibitors Overview KIT inhibitors are a class of targeted therapies designed to block the activity of the KIT receptor tyrosine kinase, which plays a crucial role in cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. Mutations or overactivation of KIT are implicated in several malignancies, including gastrointestinal stromal tumors and mastocytosis. By inhibiting KIT signaling, these drugs disrupt oncogenic pathways and help control tumor growth or abnormal cell proliferation. The therapeutic development of KIT inhibitors continues to evolve, with newer agents being designed to overcome resistance mechanisms associated with first-generation TKIs. Resistance often arises due to secondary mutations in the KIT gene, leading to reduced drug binding and diminished efficacy. Advanced KIT inhibitors have been developed to address these resistance mutations by offering broader and more potent inhibition across multiple KIT variants. Ongoing research is focused on combination therapies, improved selectivity, and minimizing adverse effects, aiming to expand the clinical utility of KIT inhibitors across a wider range of cancers and other KIT-mediated disorders. KIT Inhibitors Epidemiology Segmentation The KIT inhibitors market report proffers epidemiological analysis for the study period 2020–2034 in the 7MM, segmented into: Total Cases in Selected Indications for KIT Inhibitor Total Eligible Patient Pool in Selected Indications for KIT Inhibitor Total Treated Cases in Selected Indications for KIT Inhibitor KIT Inhibitors Report Metrics Details Study Period 2020–2034 KIT Inhibitors Report Coverage 7MM [The United States, the EU-4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), the United Kingdom, and Japan] Key Indications Covered in the Report Systemic Mastocytosis, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST), Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU), Graft-versus-host Disease (GvHD), Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor (TGCT), Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis (AdvSM), Non-advanced Systemic Mastocytosis (NonAdvSM), Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis (ISM), and others Key KIT Inhibitors Companies Celldex Therapeutics, Cogent Biosciences, Blueprint Medicines, ONO Pharmaceutical (Deciphera Pharmaceuticals), Blueprint Medicines, and others Key KIT Inhibitors Barzolvolimab (CDX-0159), Bezuclastinib (CGT9486), Elenestinib (BLU-263), ROMVIMZA (vimseltinib), QINLOCK (ripretinib), AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT (avapritinib), and others Scope of the KIT Inhibitors Market Report KIT Inhibitors Therapeutic Assessment: KIT Inhibitors current marketed and emerging therapies KIT Inhibitors Market Dynamics: Conjoint Analysis of Emerging KIT Inhibitors Drugs Competitive Intelligence Analysis: SWOT analysis and Market entry strategies Unmet Needs, KOL's views, Analyst's views, KIT Inhibitors Market Access and Reimbursement Discover more about KIT inhibitors in development @ KIT Inhibitors Clinical Trials Table of Contents 1 Key Insights 2 Report Introduction 3 Executive Summary 4 Key Events 5 Market Forecast Methodology 6 KIT Inhibitor Market Overview at a Glance in the 7MM 6.1 Market Share (%) Distribution by Indication in 2024 6.2 Market Share (%) Distribution by Indication in 2034 7 KIT Inhibitor: Background and Overview 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Evolution of KIT Inhibitor 7.3 Treatment 8 Target Patient Pool 8.1 Key Findings 8.2 Assumptions and Rationale: 7MM 8.3 Epidemiology Scenario in the 7MM 8.3.1 Total Cases in Selected Indications for KIT Inhibitor in the 7MM 8.3.2 Total Eligible Patient Pool in Selected Indications for KIT Inhibitor in the 7MM 8.3.3 Total Treated Cases in Selected Indications for KIT Inhibitor in the 7MM 8.4 The US 8.5 EU4 and the UK 8.6 Japan 9 Marketed Therapies 9.1 Key Cross Competition 9.2 ROMVIMZA (vimseltinib): ONO Pharmaceutical (Deciphera Pharmaceuticals) 9.2.1 Product Description 9.2.2 Regulatory Milestones 9.2.3 Others Developmental Activities 9.2.4 Clinical Trials Information 9.2.5 Safety and Efficacy 9.3 QINLOCK (ripretinib): ONO Pharmaceutical (Deciphera Pharmaceuticals) 9.4 AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT (avapritinib): Blueprint Medicines List of drugs to be continued in the final report… 10 Emerging Therapies 10.1 Key Cross Competition 10.2 Barzolvolimab (CDX-0159): Celldex Therapeutics 10.2.1 Drug Description 10.2.2 Others Developmental Activities 10.2.3 Clinical Trials Information 10.2.4 Safety and Efficacy 10.2.5 Analyst's View 10.3 Bezuclastinib (CGT9486): Cogent Biosciences 10.4 Elenestinib (BLU-263): Blueprint Medicines List of drugs to be continued in the final report… 11 KIT Inhibitor: the 7MM Analysis 11.1 Key Findings 11.2 Key Market Forecast Assumptions 11.2.1 Cost Assumptions and Rebates 11.2.2 Pricing Trends 11.2.3 Analogue Assessment 11.2.4 Launch Year and Therapy Uptakes 11.3 Market Outlook 11.4 Attribute Analysis 11.5 Total Market Size of KIT Inhibitor in the 7MM 11.6 The US Market Size 11.6.1 Total Market Size of KIT Inhibitor in the US 11.6.2 Market Size of KIT Inhibitor by Therapies in the US 11.7 EU4 and the UK Market Size 11.7.1 Total Market Size of KIT Inhibitor in EU4 and the UK 11.7.2 Market Size of KIT Inhibitor by Therapies in EU4 and the UK 11.8 Japan Market Size 11.8.1 Total Market Size of KIT Inhibitor in Japan 11.8.2 Market Size of KIT Inhibitor by Therapies in Japan 12 Unmet Needs 13 SWOT Analysis 14 KOL Views 15 Market Access and Reimbursement 15.1 The US 15.2 EU4 and the UK 15.3 Japan 16 Acronyms and Abbreviations 17 Bibliography Related Reports Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Market Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast – 2034 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key GIST companies, including Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine, Daiichi Sankyo Company, Cogent Biosciences, Advenchen Laboratories, AB Science, Immunicum AB, Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Hanmi Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Ascentage Pharma, Array BioPharma, Plexxikon, Arog Pharmaceuticals, Xencor Inc., DNAtrix Inc., Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Exelixis, Allarity Therapeutics, Theseus Pharmaceuticals, IDRx Inc., Allarity Therapeutics, among others. Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Market Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast – 2034 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key CSU companies, including Celldex Therapeutics, Novartis, Sanofi, Incyte, Jasper Therapeutics, InflaRx, Evommune, Otsuka Holdings (Taiho Pharmaceutical), among others. Graft Versus Host Disease Market Graft Versus Host Disease Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast – 2034 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key GvHD companies, including CSL Behring, Equillium, Biocon, MaaT Pharma, REGiMMUNE, ReAlta Life Sciences, Ono Pharmaceutical (Deciphera Pharmaceuticals), Medsenic, BioSenic, ASC Therapeutics, Cynata Therapeutics, Evive Biotech (Yifan Pharmaceutical), Ironwood, medac, among others. Systemic Mastocytosis Market Systemic Mastocytosis Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast – 2034 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key systemic mastocytosis companies, including AB Sciences, Blueprint Medicines, Patara Pharma, Seagen Inc., GT Biopharma, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Novartis Oncology, among others. About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Get hassle-free access to all the healthcare and pharma market research reports through our subscription-based platform PharmDelve. Contact UsShruti Thakur info@ +14699457679 Logo: View original content:
Yomiuri Shimbun
12-07-2025
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Stronger Efforts Needed to Cure ‘Drug Loss' in Japan So That Needed Medicines Reach Patients
The government is stepping up efforts to combat the increasingly acute problem of drug loss, in which pharmaceuticals approved overseas are not available in Japan. Some analyses suggest that the number of unavailable drugs is set to grow even for common diseases like cancers and diabetes. Japan needs to create an environment in which foreign companies can more easily conduct clinical trials so that patients can receive the drugs they need, and at the same time, it is urgently necessary for Japan to boost its drug development capacity. 'Many patients are facing a tough predicament because new drugs developed overseas that they desperately want aren't used in Japan,' said Sumito Nishidate, chairman of GISTERS, an organization of people with a rare form of cancer called a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). 'It's really frustrating.' One such new drug is avapritinib, which has demonstrated remarkable effects including shrinking tumors in 86% of GIST patients harboring specific genetic mutations. This drug was approved in the United States in 2020, and has since been given the green light in the European Union, South Korea and elsewhere. However, there currently is no plan to begin using avapritinib in Japan. According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, as of March 2023, applications for development in Japan had not been filed for 86 of 143 drugs approved in other nations but not in Japan. Drug lag, in which the approval of new drugs to enter Japan's market is delayed, is increasingly morphing into the more serious problem of drug loss, in which these pharmaceuticals remain unavailable to patients. In late June, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba established the Public-Private Council for Enhancing Drug Discovery Capabilities, and called for the public and private sectors to 'cooperate with each other across boundaries' and exchange knowledge to help resolve the drug loss problem. Officials from U.S. and European pharmaceutical organizations are also involved in the council, which plans to compile a list of specific measures for dealing with the problem by spring 2026. Since May, the health ministry has launched development requests and called on companies to start working on eight drugs, including avapritinib. Domestic corporate groups have stepped up to work on two of these drugs, including a medication for treating severe cases of malaria. Low appeal of Japanese market Drug development since the turn of the century has been spearheaded by startup companies mainly in the United States. This has been a factor in Japan's drug loss problem, because these companies, despite their limited financial resources, can generate the profits they need in the U.S. market alone. Therefore their managers give no consideration to the Japanese market. Forty-eight of the previously mentioned 86 unavailable drugs were developed by overseas startups. Making newly developed drugs available in a given country requires approval from that nation's government. To get a drug approved in Japan, pharmaceutical companies must collect necessary data, including through clinical trials in which the drug is administered to Japanese people. However, many observers have pointed out that Japan's clinical trial and approval procedures are complex and difficult to understand. The government's policy of lowering the official prices of pharmaceuticals also has deterred foreign companies from dipping their toes in the Japanese market. In the past decade, the government has sought to reduce medical expenses by introducing rules including lowering the prices of drugs with annual sales of more than ¥100 billion, and revising official prices for medicines annually rather than every two years. These rules make revenue forecasting more difficult for drugmakers. 'The Japanese market isn't very attractive,' one observer told The Yomiuri Shimbun. Problem set to get worse According to Nobuhiro Arai, a managing director at Boston Consulting Group, Japan's drug loss problem 'will get worse.' The study by the company showed that of 145 drugs in the final stage of clinical trials or under review for approval in the United States and Europe, almost 70% lacked a plan to make them available in Japan and could potentially end up as drug loss subjects by around 2030. These pharmaceuticals included breakthrough drugs for preventing breast cancer metastasis and recurrence as well as for treating kidney dysfunction triggered by causes such as diabetes. In 2024, the health ministry set up an office offering consultation services in Washington. Staff at this office will visit startups and explain matters such as clinical trials and the drug approval process in Japan. The office will provide English consultations to companies interested in entering the Japanese market and establish a point of contact where further support can be sought. Hosei University Prof. Takuma Sugahara, an expert on health economics, said, 'It's vital that the government establishes an environment that will boost enthusiasm for development, such as by enabling foreign startups to smoothly conduct clinical trials and establishing a system in which they can make a decent profit.'
![[Editorial] Korea's academic exodus](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Korea Herald
08-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
[Editorial] Korea's academic exodus
As professors head overseas, South Korea's global academic standing comes under strain At Seoul National University, long regarded as the pinnacle of South Korea's higher education system, an unsettling pattern has emerged. Over the past four years, 56 professors have left for academic posts overseas, a quiet but steady migration to institutions offering not only higher salaries but also more generous research funding and fewer bureaucratic hurdles. The symbolism is hard to miss: Even South Korea's most prestigious university struggles to retain talent in an era when intellectual capital moves easily across borders. The numbers point to a deeper problem. Most of the departing professors headed to the United States, with others choosing academic positions in Hong Kong, Singapore and elsewhere. The exodus isn't limited to Seoul National University. The nation's top science and technology institutes — KAIST, GIST, DGIST and UNIST — have lost 119 professors over the same period. While some scholars moved to vacancies at Seoul National University, many others left the country altogether. The causes aren't new, nor are they difficult to diagnose. South Korean universities have long been constrained by structural barriers that leave them uncompetitive in the global academic market. Faculty pay, tied to rigid seniority-based systems and frozen tuition rates, has remained stagnant for more than a decade. The government's policy of keeping tuition low (once seen as a way to expand access) has instead restricted resources for institutions struggling to retain their best staff. Abroad, professors can earn three to four times more, but the draw isn't purely financial. Top universities overseas offer superior research facilities, larger budgets and streamlined administrations. These advantages are especially significant for scholars pursuing cutting-edge work in fields like artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology and economics. But this brain drain is about more than money. It points to a deeper institutional flaw. Political interference, particularly in setting research agendas and allocating funding, undermines academic autonomy. In South Korea, government transitions often bring abrupt shifts in research priorities and personnel, making long-term planning difficult. Professors have long voiced frustration with this volatile environment, which leaves little room for independent scholarship. The loss of academic talent is becoming self-perpetuating. Professors at regional institutions leave for Seoul; those at Seoul National University increasingly look overseas. The resulting vacuum weakens not only individual universities but also the broader academic ecosystem underpinning the country's research and innovation. The consequences are serious. As faculty exit, research capacity diminishes, graduate programs decline and national competitiveness suffers. International rankings already show South Korean universities slipping, with only a few maintaining a presence among the world's elite. The long-term risk is that South Korea could fall behind in critical fields vital for economic growth and national security. Yet the government's response appears out of step with the scale of the problem. President Lee Jae Myung's pledge to 'create 10 Seoul National Universities' by elevating nine regional universities may misread the crisis. Adding more institutions does little to address the core issue: Retaining and attracting world-class talent. Without serious reform, even Seoul National University may struggle to maintain its standing. What's needed isn't lofty slogans but structural change. Performance-based pay, already under discussion at Seoul National University, is a start, but not enough. Broader reforms must include competitive salaries, greater research autonomy and less political micromanagement. Efforts to support weaker institutions should avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. Targeted, merit-based investments offer a more effective, sustainable path. Above all, South Korea must rethink how it values academic work. In an era when AI and advanced technologies drive global competition, retaining and attracting researchers is a matter of national strategy. The goal should not merely be to stem the brain drain but to build an academic ecosystem that draws homegrown talent back — and invites the world's best to come.
BreakingNews.ie
22-06-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
What you need to know about sarcoma – the cancer you've never heard of
When most people think of cancer, names like breast, lung, or prostate cancer instantly come to mind. However, there's another, lesser-known form called sarcoma that affects thousands of people in the UK every year, yet rarely makes headlines. Despite its relative obscurity, it's one of the most aggressive and challenging cancers to diagnose and treat. Advertisement Ahead of Sarcoma Awareness Month (July), we got in touch with Helen Stradling, head of support and healthcare professional engagement services at Sarcoma UK, to find out exactly what sarcoma is, why awareness is so low, and what some of the early symptoms are… What is sarcoma? Sarcoma refers to a broad group of cancers that start in the bones and soft tissues. Photo: Alamy/PA. Sarcoma is a type of cancer that can appear anywhere in the body and everyday 15 people in the UK are diagnosed with it, according to Sarcoma UK's website. 'In terms of breast cancer, lung cancer and bowel cancer, it's very obvious where they come from, whereas the word sarcomas doesn't really tell you anything,' acknowledges Stradling. 'Sarcomas are cancers of the bits and pieces that put us together, like nerves, bones, blood vessels and fat cells.' There are many different subtypes of sarcomas, but they are generally grouped into two main categories. Advertisement 'The main types are sarcomas of bone and sarcomas of soft tissue,' explains Stradling. 'The most common soft tissue sarcomas are the GISTs (gastrointestinal stromal tumours), liposarcomas and leiomyosarcomas, and in the bone sarcomas, the ones we tend to hear the most about are the osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcomas.' Why have many people never heard of sarcomas? 'I think it all comes down to the rarity of it,' says Stradling. 'We diagnose about 5,300 sarcomas in the UK every year, so it's very unlikely when somebody gets a sarcoma diagnosis that they've known somebody else that's had one. 'It's also not the type of cancer that you see spoken about very often in the media. A lot of people that get a sarcoma diagnosis have never heard of sarcomas before.' What are the symptoms? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sarcoma UK (@sarcoma_uk) 'The main sign of a soft tissue sarcoma is a lump that you can see that is changing or growing,' highlights Stradling. 'Benign lumps are really common, but anyone who has a soft tissue lump anywhere on the body that is growing and changing needs to get that checked out.' Whereas, the main symptom of bone sarcomas is bone pain or swelling that tends to be worse at night. Advertisement 'There's a lot of reasons for joint and bone pain, but if you've got bone pain that you can't put down to any kind of injury, that is not relieving itself with painkillers or anything like that, and the pain wakes you at night, that's a red flag sign,' emphasises Stradling. However, GISTs sarcomas tend to be harder to identify. 'GISTs are a little bit more tricky, because you can hardly ever see anything from them,' says Stradling. 'It's more likely to show up with more subtle signs like bloating or blood in your vomit or stools. 'If you have got any these symptoms and you are being pushed back from healthcare professionals that you're seeing, we would urge you to keep going. If you are really concerned that it could be a sarcoma, mention the word to the professional so that it is something they can consider or start investigating.' Advertisement How is it diagnosed? Diagnosis of sarcomas usually start with an ultrasound or an X-ray. Photo: Alamy/PA. 'It usually starts with somebody either seeing their GP, a physio or a nurse and a lot of time it will be a soft tissue lump that's growing or bone pain,' says Stradling. 'With soft tissue sarcomas we tend to start with an ultrasound and with bone sarcomas we start with X-ray. 'If there's any concern that it might be something more sinister, the patient then has an MRI scan. But most importantly, once that MRI scan is done, we must get a biopsy, because with there being so many different subtypes, we need to know exactly which one we're dealing with to know which is the best treatment for you to have.' Like most forms of cancer, sarcomas can be found at different grades and are much easier to treat if you catch them early before they spread. 'The sooner we can get these diagnosed the better,' says Stradling. 'We know that getting patients into seeing the specialist teams and getting them started on treatment as soon as we can makes a huge positive difference for outcomes.' The primary focus of Sarcoma Awareness Month is to encourage earlier diagnosis and to improve treatment options for those affected by this disease. Photo: Alamy/PA. How is it treated? The primary treatment for sarcomas, both soft tissue and bone sarcomas, is surgery. The goal is to remove the tumour, along with a margin of healthy tissue to minimise the risk of recurrence, according to Sarcoma UK's website. Advertisement 'We really need to get the them at a size where we can do a surgery that isn't going to leave somebody with life-limiting mobility or not being able to do everything that they want to do,' says Stradling. 'We want to avoid the stage where the tumours have already spread, because then the treatments that we've got are limited.' Sarcomas can also be treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, often alongside surgery. 'We do use chemotherapy and radiotherapy for a number of sarcomas, but in a lot of the cases, we don't use them until they've already spread because we know that they're not as effective as we would like them to be,' explains Stradling. 'However, this is slightly different with the younger people that get the bone sarcomas, as they do tend to start with chemotherapy as a kickoff treatment. But in most cases, surgery is the first thing that needs to happen.'
Medscape
16-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Avelumab Plus Axitinib Shows Promise in Advanced GIST
Combination therapy with avelumab plus axitinib demonstrated a clinical benefit in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST), achieving a 69.6% disease control rate and a 57.1% progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 3 months. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a phase 2 trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of avelumab in combination with axitinib among 56 patients with unresectable/metastatic GIST (median age, 60 years) after the failure of standard therapy. Participants received avelumab 10 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks combined with axitinib 5 mg orally twice daily. The primary endpoint was the 3-month PFS rate; key secondary endpoints included overall survival, disease control rate, duration of response, and adverse events (AEs). The median follow-up duration was 27.4 months. TAKEAWAY: The PFS rate at 3 months was 57.1%, the median PFS was 4.6 months, and the median overall survival was 14.2 months. A partial response was achieved in 8.9% of patients, and the median duration of response was 18.5 months. Stable disease was observed in 60.7% of patients, corresponding to a disease control rate of 69.6%. AEs occurred in 94.6% of patients, with 30.4% experiencing grade 3 or higher events. The most common treatment-related AEs were diarrhoea (33.9%), thyroid dysfunction (30.4%), hypertension (25%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (23.2%), myalgia (17.9%), and dysphonia (17.9%). IN PRACTICE: "The AXAGIST trial is the largest prospective study evaluating the efficacy of the combination of immune checkpoint inhibitor and a multikinase inhibitor in patients with advanced/metastatic GIST. These results provide unique data on the activity of axitinib in GIST patients, which in combination with avelumab, resulted in long-term clinical benefit in a significant subset of patients," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Piotr Lukasz Rutkowski, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland. It was published online on June 06, 2025, in the European Journal of Cancer . LIMITATIONS: This study lacked a comparator arm, which made it impossible to conclude whether the addition of avelumab improves the antitumour activity of axitinib. DISCLOSURES: This research and drug supply were financially supported by Pfizer, as part of an alliance between Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer Inc. Several authors declared receiving honoraria or having other ties with various sources.
