McKinsey Cancer Center

Helping clients discover, develop, and distribute more effective medicines, deliver better care, and provide broader access to solutions that help patients and their families combat cancer.

The McKinsey Cancer Center (McKCC) combines the extensive cross-functional oncology experience of our team with methodologies for generating deep market insights, advanced-analytics platforms, and input from a network of leading external experts. We work to advance cutting-edge oncology innovations (both therapeutic and diagnostic) with pharmaceutical and biotech companies and investors. Approaches we design make it possible for health-care providers to deliver better care, and solutions we propose help health systems and policy makers realize the best possible outcomes for cancer patients. Operating in all geographies, the McKinsey Cancer Center conducts more than 100 client engagements annually across strategy, R&D, business development, marketing and sales, market access and policy, and care-delivery topics. We share our cutting-edge knowledge at international oncology conferences, as well as in peer-reviewed publications and other leading industry journals.

How we help clients: our global network

The McKinsey Cancer Center provides industry-leading oncology expertise across the health ecosystem, including pharma and biotech companies, specialty pharmacies, investors, health systems, providers, and payers around the world. We work closely with an external advisory board of renowned oncology clinician–scientists, plus our own global network of oncology experts and help advance market research through partnerships and innovative research collaborations.

Conferences and meetings

We convene experts across the world to share the latest thinking and research at hosted events, such as the McKinsey Cancer Congress Series at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) conferences. In addition, we routinely attend key conferences of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the American Society of Hematology (ASH), and the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC).

Publications and perspectives

Our latest insights are featured in peer-reviewed and other journals—for example, the Lancet, on the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP), documenting discrepancies in cancer-survival rates. We also publish with the World Innovation Summit for Health (perspectives on affordable cancer care) and in McKinsey’s Health International (insights on health systems and optimizing clinical care). Our perspectives on specific topics, such as new therapeutic technologies and changes in oncology’s development paradigm, regularly appear in print.

Featured Event

McKinsey Cancer Congress Series at ESMO 2022

McKinsey Cancer Center Congress Series at ASCO 2023

The McKinsey Cancer Center is delighted to announce that we will be hosting our 15th annual Cancer Congress Series Symposium during ASCO 2023 on Friday, 2nd of June from 9.00-10.30 am Central Time.

For this year’s edition, we will hold a session titled “From chip to bedside - Oncology in silico R&D”. We are pleased to announce that this year’s presentation will be delivered in a hybrid format, with in-person (Chicago) or virtual attendance available. Further details regarding attendance, venue, and our expert panel will be shared closer to the date.

For further information on upcoming events, please contact us at McKinsey_CancerCenter@mckinsey.com to be added to our mailing list.

Examples of our work

Creating a multibillion-dollar oncology leader

The McKinsey Cancer Center supported the carve-out of an oncology franchise by helping to strengthen R&D capabilities and partnerships in a dedicated innovation unit, integrating two portfolios into a larger franchise, and out-licensing select Phase II and III assets. This effort created a multibillion-dollar oncology leader and an agile oncology R&D innovator.

Delivering one of pharma’s top three product launches

We helped drive uptake of a $3 billion blockbuster drug by defining its launch-readiness road map for a regional organization and more than 15 affiliates, supporting the launch performance of $300 million in first-year sales, closing country launch-execution gaps, and helping to exceed analysts’ projections fivefold.

Building a cancer franchise from scratch

In 12 months, we helped build a $3 billion oncology franchise by supporting its go-to-market plan, licensing deals, and M&A; blueprinting a 150-person global, regional, and local launch organization; and supporting the integration of an acquired oncology portfolio and organization.

Designing a roadmap to reduce cancer mortality by 15 percent

We identified initiatives to save the lives of up to 400 colorectal-cancer patients a year by redesigning the care pathway in five health systems across the globe and identifying improvements in care to reduce mortality by up to 15 percent. In addition, we defined cost-savings opportunities of $100 million (10 percent of annual health-system spending).

Defining new outcomes based partnerships

We helped develop a suite of over 400 solutions and services associated with different oncology products (such as inpatient and outpatient) for outcomes-based partnerships between pharmaceutical companies and national or regional payers. These solutions give patients earlier access to specific medicines in multiple health systems.