Pharma Mar (PHM) Chardan's 10th Annual Healthcare Conference summary

Marine-derived discovery and approved medicines

• Founded 40 years ago, the research approach began with screening marine organisms for anticancer activity; the library now exceeds 500,000 molecules, with marine expeditions ongoing.

• Three approved medicines were cited: Yondelis (trabectedin), approved in 80 countries for soft tissue sarcoma and/or ovarian cancer; Aplidin (plitidepsin), for late-stage multiple myeloma; and Zepzelca (lurbinectedin), in 20-plus countries for small cell lung cancer.

Zepzelca first-line maintenance rollout

• The lurbinectedin–atezolizumab combination received U.S. approval last October and European approval in June; Germany and Austria launches began over the summer and were ~three months underway at the conference, with uptake described as ahead of expectations but variable on small numbers.

• European launch access follows EU approval, while reimbursement is assessed nationally and sometimes regionally; reimbursement in almost all of Europe was expected within one year of approval.

• France and Spain were expected to be the next significant reimbursement approvals, hopefully in 2026 or early 2027, followed by Italy and other markets.

Tarlatamab and treatment sequencing

• Tarlatamab was approved in Europe for second-line treatment and launched in Germany and Austria; administration requires ICU access, with cytokine release syndrome and ICANS risks, limiting suitability across patients, doctors and facilities.

• Maintenance tarlatamab data were due at ESMO within days; management anticipated strong results based on Amgen’s announcement but said it could not predict the data.

• Management said lurbinectedin first-line maintenance and tarlatamab second-line labels indicate ~14 and ~11 months, respectively, or ~25 months combined; outcomes for alternative sequencing remain unknown.

• More treatment options were described as improving hope and adherence for small cell lung cancer patients; management cited seven or eight drugs that could be sequenced.