Providing…
A review of nanomedicine and its role in the anticancer market
An assessment of the main areas in which it can be applied
Analysis of 6 current products employing nanotechnology
A review of the work of 30 companies with products in the pipeline
A thorough look at current research being conducted at over 30 institutions worldwide

This rapidly-expanding and topical area of research promises better clinical outcomes, targeted therapies and profits for the industry. But what is the current state of play and where are the real opportunities emerging?

Diagnosing, treating and tracking the progress of therapies for each type of cancer that exists has long been a dream among oncologists, and one that has recently grown closer with developments in genomics, proteomics and cell biology.

Now, a revolution in nanotechnology is pushing personalised cancer treatment closer than ever before. Future techniques in medical diagnosis and treatment have often been the subject of science fiction and fantasy.

What was once literary fantasy is now closer to becoming reality. Nature already operates at the nanoscale and today we are acquiring an increasingly profound understanding of natural processes at this scale, enabled by a new generation of scientific instruments.

To provide industry executives with a comprehensive and easy to read evaluation of this fast growing area, Espicom Business Intelligence has published this detailed new 125-page report. Covering every aspect of the subject from current research to applications, products, future pipeline and ongoing research, the report provides a complete review of nanomedicine and its growing importance in the cancer field.

This report provides a complete insight to the technology, companies and research institutions that are driving this high-growth and promising sector.

About the Author
The report has been researched and written by Espicom staff analyst Matthew Dennis. Matthew has over two years market analysis experience in pharmaceuticals and is a cancer-market specialist. He is Editor of the leading business publication Cancer Drug News and his previous strategic management reports have covered an assessment of significant developments at ASCO 2006 and a study on drug development in the rapidly-developing market for cancer vaccines. Nanomedicine has applications across the field of anticancer treatments - but what are the likely outcomes for key areas?
Using “Optimistic, Realistic and Pessimistic” scenarios, the report assesses what success key nanotechnologies will have on treating oncology in the following areas:

Molecular imaging and early detection
Nanotechnology possesses the ability to have an early, paradigm-changing impact on how clinicians will detect cancer in its earliest stages. Devices constructed of nanoscale components, such as nanocantilevers, nanowires and nanochannels, offer the potential for detecting even the rarest molecular signals associated with malignancy.

In vivo imaging
One of the most urgent requirements in clinical oncology is for imaging agents that can identify tumours that are far smaller than those detectable with today's technology, at a scale of 1x105 cells rather than 1x109 cells. Achieving this level of sensitivity requires better targeting of imaging agents and the generation of a bigger imaging signal, both of which nanoscale devices are capable of accomplishing.

Reporters of efficacy
Nanotechnology offers the potential for developing highly-sensitive imaging agents and ex vivo diagnostics that can determine whether a therapeutic agent is reaching its intended target and whether that agent is killing malignant or support cells, such as growing blood vessels.

Multi-functional therapeutics
Because of their multi-functional capabilities, nanoscale devices can contain both targeting agents and therapeutic payloads at levels that can produce high local concentrations of a given anticancer drug. This is beneficial in areas of the body that are difficult to access because of a variety of biological barriers, including those developed by tumours.

Prevention and control
Many of the advances that nanotechnology will enable in each of the four preceding challenge areas will also find widespread applicability in efforts to prevent and control cancer. Advances driven by proteomics and bioinformatics are enabling researchers to identify markers of cancer susceptibility and precancerous lesions. Nanotechnology will then be used to develop devices that are capable of signalling when those markers appear in the body and deliver agents that would reverse premalignant changes or kill those cells that have the potential for becoming malignant.

Research enablers
Nanotechnology offers a wide range of tools, from chip-based nanolaboratories that are capable of monitoring and manipulating individual cells to nanoscale probes that can track the movements of cells, and even individual molecules, as they move about in their environment. Using such tools will enable cancer biologists to study, monitor and alter the multiple systems that go awry in the cancer process, and identify key biochemical and genetic points at which future molecular therapies might best be directed.

Current products evaluated…
Abraxane
Abraxis BioScience/AstraZeneca

DaunoXome
Gilead Sciences/Diatos

CellSearch Circulating Tumor Cell Kit
Immunicon

Bio-barcode and Verigen platform
Nanosphere

Caelyx/Doxil
Ortho Biotech

Myocet
Zeneus Pharma

Who's developing what?
Commercial companies involved…
Ablynx
Acusphere
Advanced Magnetics/Cytogen
ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals
Alnis Biosciences
Aphios
Celsion
Dendritic Technologies/Starpharma
Flamel Technologies
INEX Pharmaceuticals
Insert Therapeutics (Arrowhead Research)
Intradigm
Introgen Therapeutics
Kereos
Keystone Nano
LiPlasome Pharma
MagForce Nanotechnologies
Mersana Therapeutics
Nanobiotix
NanoCarrier
Nanolution (Biophan Technologies)
NanoMed Pharmaceuticals
Nanospectra Biosciences
Pro-Pharmaceuticals
Project BioFinger
pSivida
OSI Pharmaceuticals
Spherics
TransGenex Nanobiotech
Triton Biosytems

Novel research by academic institutions evaluated…
Over 30 leading research bodies are conducting cancer nanomedicine research worldwide.