What are targeted chemotherapy drugs, and how they work? Are they a type of oncology biotech worth investing in? What is the future of biotech stocks?

What Are Targeted Chemotherapy Drugs?

This type of cancer treatment is different from the traditional. Targeted chemotherapy drugs work by targeting specific genes or specific proteins that are feeding cancer cells or cells that are related to cancer growth. Previous treatments had a type of scattergun approach that worked effectively on some cancers but not on others. As small oncology biotech companies learn more about the development of cancer cells and how genes effect them, targeted chemotherapy drugs can be developed that will block signals telling cancer cells to grow and divide, shorten the lives of cancer cells, and even kill cancer cells. There are currently two main types of targeted chemotherapy drugs being developed, often by small biotech companies. One type is called monoclonal antibodies. These block something outside of the cancer that is feeding it, or utilizes those channels to send toxic substances directly to the cancer cells. The other type of targeted chemotherapy drugs are called small molecule drugs. These work by blocking the processes that allow cancer cells to spread.

Are They Worth Investing In?

There is a lot of interest in investing in biotech startups that are developing targeted chemotherapy drugs. They are definitely a biotech that is worth investing in. These types of therapy show great promise and are more effective for many of the worst cancers. Unfortunately, there are only a few cancers that can currently be treated with these drugs. The rest require surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy, or other more traditional treatments. There is a tremendous need for research into more targeted drugs to treat this international killer

What is the Future of Biotech Stocks?

In 2016 biotech stocks seemed a bad bet. However since then the market has turned around dramatically, and 2017 was a solid year. In 2018 they are already doing well, and the future looks very bright. There seems to be a growing understanding that drug price regulation kills biotech innovation, and with this understanding the market has improved. Furthermore, the US Food and Drug Administration has been speeding up the drug approval process. This shift in priorities means that drugs can be developed and enter the market more cheaply, which is a great reason to invest.

There?s nothing more important to the future of the world’s health the defeating that monster which we call cancer. It can’t be done alone, but working together by investing our money and expertise, we can make cancer a thing of the past.