Pharmacosmos grants G1 a reprieve

With G1 Therapeutics’ trilaciclib breast cancer dreams in tatters, the group might well be relieved by a takeout offer from the private Danish company Pharmacosmos. True, the $405m price tag is below the “$700m-plus” US market opportunity G1 had estimated for trilaciclib in its approved use of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression in small-cell lung cancer, where it’s branded Cosela. But the last time G1’s investors saw its stock hit the $7.15 mark was back in early 2023. Pharmacosmos, for its part, believes that the CDK4/6 inhibitor Cosela will fit well with its own cancer-adjacent product, Monoferric; that drug is approved for anaemia, which can be a side effect of chemotherapy. Cosela revenues totalled $46m in 2023, and G1 previously forecast 2024 sales of $60-70m. Pharmacosmos clearly sees room for improvement, and one avenue will be expanding Cosela’s use into countries other than the US and China, where it is currently approved. Other uses might also be on the cards: in its February 2024 corporate presentation G1 suggested that trilaciclib could be combined with ADCs to improve safety and efficacy. However, it is unclear whether this is something Pharmacosmos will pursue.