Janssen Oncology, the pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson, focuses its resources on developing and delivering treatments for various types of cancer. The company’s work involves translating scientific discoveries into therapeutic options that address significant unmet needs for patients worldwide. This focus is driven by a strategy to advance innovative medicines across different disease stages, from early diagnosis to advanced, relapsed conditions. The overall aim is to redefine treatment paradigms for complex cancers by concentrating research efforts on specific disease areas.
Core Therapeutic Focus Areas
Janssen directs its research and development efforts toward two broad categories of cancer: hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. The company concentrates heavily on blood cancers, particularly multiple myeloma, which is an incurable cancer of the plasma cells. This focus area also extends to B-cell malignancies, including Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL), and Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (WM).
In the realm of solid tumors, Janssen prioritizes cancers where targeted treatments can make a substantial difference in patient outcomes. A primary focus is prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers diagnosed in men globally. The company also dedicates resources to lung cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, and genitourinary cancers like bladder cancer.
Key Approved Medications
Janssen’s portfolio includes several approved treatments that target both blood cancers and solid tumors, offering patients a range of therapeutic options. For multiple myeloma, the company offers DARZALEX, a CD38-directed antibody used in various treatment settings, and its subcutaneous formulation, DARZALEX FASPRO. These treatments target the CD38 protein highly expressed on myeloma cells, leading to their destruction. Another important treatment for multiple myeloma is CARVYKTI, a BCMA-directed Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy approved for patients who have received multiple prior lines of therapy.
Treatments for solid tumors include ERLEADA, an androgen receptor inhibitor used for certain types of prostate cancer, which works by blocking the effect of male hormones that fuel cancer growth. The company also introduced AKEEGA, a dual-action tablet for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer that is positive for BRCA gene mutations. For B-cell malignancies like CLL and MCL, IMBRUVICA, an oral Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, blocks signaling pathways necessary for the survival and proliferation of malignant B-cells. Janssen also developed bispecific antibodies like TECVAYLI and TALVEY for multiple myeloma, which represent new classes of off-the-shelf treatments for patients with heavily pretreated disease.
Scientific Approach to Treatment Development
Janssen’s strategy for developing new cancer treatments centers on three innovative scientific platforms: targeted therapies, bispecific antibodies, and cell therapies.
Targeted Therapies
Targeted therapies, often referred to as precision medicine, involve identifying specific molecular changes, such as gene mutations or protein overexpression, that drive a tumor’s growth. By developing medicines like the oral inhibitor AKEEGA, which targets BRCA-mutated prostate cancer, the company can deliver treatments designed to interfere precisely with these specific pathways, minimizing harm to healthy cells. This approach moves beyond traditional chemotherapy by making treatment selection dependent on a patient’s unique tumor biology.
Bispecific Antibodies
Bispecific antibodies are a type of immunotherapy engineered to bind to two different targets simultaneously. One arm of the antibody typically binds to a marker on the cancer cell, while the other arm binds to an activating receptor on a T-cell, which is a type of immune cell. This dual binding bridges the T-cell and the cancer cell, effectively redirecting the patient’s own immune system to attack the tumor. Examples include TECVAYLI and TALVEY, which target different antigens on multiple myeloma cells while simultaneously engaging T-cells.
Cell Therapies
Cell therapies, such as CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy, represent a highly personalized and complex form of treatment. This process involves collecting a patient’s own T-cells, genetically modifying them in a lab to express a receptor that recognizes a specific cancer antigen, and then infusing the enhanced cells back into the patient. CARVYKTI, for example, is a BCMA-directed CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma where the engineered T-cells hunt and eliminate cells expressing the BCMA antigen. The company is also exploring dual-targeting CAR-T candidates for B-cell lymphoma, aiming to improve long-term remission rates.
Patient Access and Support Programs
Janssen offers dedicated support services to help patients navigate the logistical and financial hurdles associated with specialty cancer treatments. These programs, branded under the name J&J withMe, provide a range of resources to help patients navigate the complexities of accessing their prescribed medications. The support begins with logistical services, such as benefits investigation to verify insurance coverage and assistance with the prior authorization process required by many payers.
For patients who are commercially insured, the program often provides co-pay assistance or savings programs designed to reduce out-of-pocket costs. For patients who are uninsured or have inadequate coverage, the Johnson & Johnson Patient Assistance Program may provide prescribed medicines free of charge if the patient meets specific financial and income requirements. These support initiatives also include educational resources to help patients and their caregivers understand their treatment and manage side effects.