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EMEA/Our innovation /Focus areas/Oncology /Bladder cancer

Bladder cancer

In 2020, bladder cancer caused approximately 67,000 deaths in Europe. [1]We are striving to reduce this threat, and are dedicated to helping patients and their loved ones find hope and relief.

To do this, we are developing targeted therapies and deepening our understanding of this complex disease.
Bladder cancer, light micrograph
Our understanding of bladder cancer
In Europe, bladder cancer is the 5th most common cancer. [2]

There is strong scientific evidence to show that the earlier the diagnosis of bladder cancer, the better the prognosis is for patients. [3]
Bladder cancer in numbers
Bladder cancer incidence is approximately 4x more in men than in women.[4]

Since the mid – to late 1990s, in many European nations incidence rates of bladder cancer have continued to rise, with the highest rate in Southern Europe, for both men and women. [5]

Mortality rates in European men were by far the highest recorded worldwide, with the highest mortality in Western Europe. [6]
9 out of 10 people are over the age of 55 when they are diagnosed.[7]

Bladder cancer is the 5th most common cancer in Europe [8] and urothelial carcinoma is the most common type of bladder cancer. [9]
In 2020, there were approximately 204,000 new diagnoses of bladder cancer in Europe.[1]
The power of targeted transformation

We are focusing on better understanding the drivers of urothelial cancer, the most common type of bladder cancer [9] and are exploring targeted therapies - alone and in combination - to transform outcomes. [10] At Johnson & Johnson Oncology, average isn’t good enough. We’re driven only to deliver the best outcomes to patients, partners, and the oncology community.

We see enormous potential in the use of companion diagnostics, to ensure patients have access to the latest and most appropriate therapeutic opportunities.

Recent research efforts in the field of precision oncology have provided key insights that have transformed the treatment paradigm, and will undoubtedly continue to expand our therapeutic options in the years to come. [11]

We collaborate to innovate
We fiercely believe cancer is a challenge we can collectively overcome, and our ultimate aim is to make cancer a manageable, even curable, condition. We know that change can only come through collaboration. We invest our time, expertise, and resources and partner with experts to unlock the potential around us, all in pursuit of better outcomes for patients and their families.
Taris logo on white background
Taris acquisition
We’re very excited about the opportunity to advance the science of genitourinary cancers and improve the care of patients diagnosed with bladder cancer through our acquisition of TARIS Biomedical LLC in 2019. [12] The TARIS technology is a first-in-class clinical platform which delivers therapeutics locally to patients diagnosed with bladder cancer. The silicone-based delivery device allows for the continuous release of medication directly to tumours located in the bladder. [12]

We believe that the TARIS bladder-specific drug-delivery platform has the potential to be transformative in delivering active treatments locally with the ability to combine with systemic therapies to develop regimens for early stage non-muscle and muscle invasive bladder cancer patients. [10] [12]
Johnson & Johnson Oncology is committed to ensuring success in our collaborations. Our Business Development teams bring scientific and commercial expertise, while our flexible structure enables us to work effectively with a variety of partners to create the best business model for each collaboration.
More from Oncology at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine EMEA

References

[1] IARC. Online analysis table. Available at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/online-analysis-table?v=2020&mode=cancer&mode_... . Accessed October 2022.
[2] European Cancer Patient Coalition. Bladder Cancer Awareness Month Campaign. Available at: https://ecpc.org/get-involved/bladder-cancer-awareness-month-campaign/. Accessed October 2022
[3] Cancer.org. Can Bladder Cancer Be Found Early? Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladder-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging... Accessed October 2022
[4] Cancer.net. Bladder Cancer: Statistics. Available at: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/bladder-cancer/statistics. Accessed October 2022
[5] Saginala K, Barsouk A, Aluru JS, Rawla P, Padala SA, Barsouk A. Epidemiology of Bladder Cancer. Med Sci (Basel). 2020 Mar 13;8(1):15. doi: 10.3390/medsci8010015. PMID: 32183076; PMCID: PMC7151633.
[6] Globocan 2020. https://gco.iarc.fr/today/online-analysis-dual-bars-2?v=2020&mode=cancer.... Accessed October 2022
[7] American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Bladder Cancer. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladder-cancer/about/key-statistics.html#:.... Accessed October 2022.
[8] European Cancer Patient Coalition. Urological Cancer. Available at: https://ecpc.org/news-events/bladder-cancer/. Accessed October 2022.
[9] Macmillan. Types of bladder cancer. Available at: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/bladder-canc.... Accessed October 2022.
[10] Clinicaltrials.gov. Janssen in urothelial carcinoma. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=erdafitinib+OR+tar-200+OR+ce.... Accessed October 2022.
[11] Liow E, Tran B. Precision oncology in urothelial cancer. ESMO Open 2020;5:e000616.
[12] Janssen. Johnson & Johnson Acquires TARIS Biomedical with Focus on Transforming the Treatment of Bladder Cancer. Available at: https://johnsonandjohnson.gcs-web.com/static-files/144c992a-c2c0-4180-b8... Last accessed October 2022.
[13] Cancer.org. Types of B-cell Lymphoma. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/about/b-cell-lymphoma.... Last accessed October 2022.
[14] HEAL. Men Prostate cancer. Available at https://www.env-health.org/IMG/pdf/prostate_testical.pdf. Accessed March 2021.
[15] Cancer.Net. Lung Cancer - Non-Small Cell: Statistics. Available at https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/lung-cancer-non-small-cell/statistics. Accessed June 2021.

CP-459038
September 2024