Finland’s Orion to focus on cancer and pain drugs

Finnish drug manufacturer Orion said recently it would shift its research and development focus to new treatments relating to cancer and pain.

The Helsinki-based firm said cancer diseases have long been one of its three core therapy areas. It has worked with Bayer on prostate cancer treatment Nubeqa, and the German company expected to generate more than $1 billion in peak annual sales from the drug.

“Research in cancer diseases and pain management are very active fields where a lot of good results are being produced,” Outi Vaarala, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Orion, said in a statement.

Sales of the current product portfolio would continue unchanged, the drugmaker said, adding studies into Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases would be phased out by autumn 2022.

Orion also said it plans to evaluate the commercial potential of inhaled pulmonary drugs, which are in an early phase of development, but the strategy refocus would not have an effect on the current portfolio of products that are on sale.

Orion added that its new focus may lead up to 37 job cuts and that it would start talks with 430 employees working in areas where investment would be discontinued.

It had about 3,500 employees at the end of 2021.

The refocus and reorganisation are expected to be completed by summer, Orion said.

Edits by EP News Bureau