Orion to Refocus R&D to Cancer and Pain

Orion, a Finnish pharmaceutical company, is planning to change and refocus its R&D function to focus on cancer and pain. The company plans to invest in the research and development of new proprietary drugs focused on treatments for patients’ needs regarding cancer and pain. The R&D refocus is expected to be completed by the summer of 2022.

Orion will no longer invest in various areas of research that it had previously focused on, including neurodegenerative diseases and rare diseases. Orion has been conducting R&D for cancer treatments and pain management for years, but the shift in focus will make these areas of research the company’s main priority.

The planned R&D of new proprietary products for cancer and pain would not have an effect on the company’s current portfolio of products, including inhaled pulmonary drugs and existing neurological disease products.

“Research in cancer diseases and pain management are very active fields where a lot of good results are being produced. There is still much to be achieved in these fields from the point of view of patients,” said Outi Vaarala, Orion’s senior vice president of R&D, in a press release. “With the planned changes, we want to concentrate investment in research and development on proprietary drugs in these therapy areas. Oncology is already well represented in our development projects. We have promising new research projects for pain management, and we expect to proceed to clinical trials within the next 12 months. We have also worked hard to identify new opportunities for cooperation in pain management. The idea is to focus investment in these areas and to develop treatments for patients as efficiently as possible, rather than making smaller investments in a larger number of research areas. This is also the most effective way to support Orion’s growth strategy.”

Source: Orion