While Pfizer gets to celebrate its 175th anniversary this year, it didn’t get under the spotlight before the Covid-19 pandemic. It made history with its blockbuster vaccine so here’s to hoping it also delivers its promise to treat cancer at that same speed of science. Unfortunately, its attempt to take part in the booming weight loss drug market got shattered last month as it eliminated its twice-daily experimental weight loss pill due to patients having trouble tolerating the drug in a midstage clinical study, although they lost significant weight.

Another concern for Pfizer is that its blockbuster drugs like blood thinner Eliquis and cancer drug Ibrance will be losing their exclusivity later this decade, with losses estimated to be about $17 billion in lost revenue from 2025 to 2030. But the good news is that drug launches should bring back Pfizer into the game and to growth. Pfizer is expecting its new drugs to bring in $20 billion in revenue by the end of the decade with new business deals also bringing in $25 billion in revenue during the same timeframe.

At the end of 2023, Moderna succeeded to overshadow weak Covid-19 vaccine sales with optimistic news on the skin cancer vaccine and the combined treatment it developed with Merck & Co Inc (NYSE:MRK). New data showed that mRNA technology-powered Moderna vaccine combined with the blockbuster drug Keytruda from Merck lowered the risk of late-stage skin cancer returning after three years by as much as 49%, suggesting that the benefits of this combined treatment held up. Moderna expects its personalized mRNA vaccine that is designed to prevent cancer to come back to be available already in 2025. With Keytruda, Merck just topped both top and bottom-line estimates for the fourth quarter. The cancer drug alone boosted Merck’s revenue by as much as 21% YoY. Merck also guided for strong annual profit on the back of continued Keytruda momentum.

A molecular genetics diagnostic company specializing in the early detection of cancer, Mainz Biomed also made its mark last year when it comes to colorectal cancer. With its flagship product, ColoAlert® , easy-to-use screening test, The eAArly DETECT U.S. study results reported a sensitivity for colorectal cancer of 97% with a specificity of 97% and a sensitivity for advanced adenoma of 82%, confirming results from its prior European study ColoFuture. These studies also assessed the potential of mRNA technology as Mainz Biomed integrated a portfolio of novel gene expression (mRNA) biomarkers into the test. With this innovative move, Mainz Biomed did not only achieve a fantastic accuracy for detecting CRC, but also advanced adenoma which is a well-known CRC precursor. It is a widely-known fact how important early detection is for the ultimate outcome of cancer treatment, but with its work, Mainz Biomed opened the door for something no one ever did until now- prevent cancer, CRC that is, by detecting a state that precedes it.