There are 399 medicines to treat cancer now in development, according to a new survey released last week by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). PhRMA's annual biopharmaceutical research survey also shows that many of these medicines represent potential breakthrough cancer treatments, while others involve possible new uses for existing medicines.

"Anyone fighting cancer or anyone who has beaten it knows the importance of these medicines and this research," Billy Tauzin, PhRMA president and CEO said adding, "Sometimes, the hope that one of these new medicines will work for you is what keeps you fighting the disease. The real reward for the huge research and development investment in these new medicines comes when one of these treatments help save lives or allow patients to go home cancer-free."

The survey shows that research into possible cancer cures and treatments is today being conducted by 178 biopharmaceutical companies and by the National Cancer Institute. The medicines in development are all either in clinical trials or under Food and Drug Administration review.

The medicines include: 62 for lung cancer, 49 for breast cancer; 50 for prostate cancer; and 35 for colorectal cancer. Other potential medicines target kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, brain cancer, skin cancer, ovarian cancer, and others. In addition, companies are working on medicines to improve the quality of life for people undergoing cancer treatment.

"This commitment to research continues and accelerates the remarkable breakthroughs in the fight against cancer achieved in the past decade," said Tauzin. New treatments now available include: A breakthrough medicine to treat metastatic colorectal cancer is the first treatment approved that prevents the formation of new blood vessels that provide tumours with oxygen and nutrients; A medicine for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer inhibits the formation and growth of tumour cells; The first in a new class of drugs to prevent acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, said a release from PhRMA.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies.