Putting Innovation
into Patients’ Hands
We’re living in a time when new insights into cancer are being translated into innovative treatments at an unprecedented pace. Our understanding of targeted immunotherapy, for instance – harnessing our body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells – is opening new doors for patients. But despite such advances, many cancer patients still have difficulty accessing valuable, life-saving therapies.
At MorphoSys, we’re unlocking the potential of innovations such as immunotherapy by placing the patient experience first. For example, when making our first commercialized therapy available, we took care to ensure that all appropriate patients could have a treatment that was available, targeted, and delivered locally.
Available means patients are more likely to get their treatment with no waiting lists; we diligently plan ahead to try to ensure enough medicine is available, even before a prescription is written. Targeted means patients can get a treatment that targets the malignant cell type, reducing off-target side effects and enabling patients to remain on treatment longer. Local means patients can receive their treatment not just at an academic center but in an outpatient facility, in the comfort of their communities.
“In speaking with healthcare professionals on the frontlines, we constantly hear how crucial access to quality care is for their patients. One person said, ‘I can’t make it to the hospital to get my treatment. I don’t have the gas money.’ Another said, ‘I’m scared if I have to wait for my treatment. What if my cancer gets worse?’ That’s why we focus on ensuring that access keeps up with the science, so our treatments are available to all appropriate patients who need them. It’s important to consider access not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental patient right.”
Joe Horvat, U.S. General Manager, MorphoSys
No patient should have to decline an innovative treatment they need because they would have to take extended time off work or can only get it at a facility they can’t travel to. Or are without a caregiver. Or the patient support programs aren’t adequate. We can’t claim we’re bringing innovation to patients if they can’t benefit from it. That’s why we’re continually assessing what access means for those impacted by cancer and allowing this to guide our treatment development.
Simply stated: at MorphoSys, we prioritize a patient-first mentality. We see it as our responsibility to ensure that people with cancer have access to the best possible treatment options for them. In the real world of medicine, efficacy and accessibility are inextricably mixed – because cancer never waits.
