Cancer Breakthroughs Can Quickly Become Tomorrow’s Also-Ran

Last week was historic in the fight against cancer. Novartis AG got approval for the first treatment in a revolutionary new class of drugs, shortly after Gilead Sciences Inc. spent $11.9 billion on a biotech company working in the field.

Neither can rest on their laurels. Research in the field is moving so fast that today’s breakthroughs can easily become tomorrow’s has-beens.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC