A valuable application not mentioned here is streamlining synthesis and manufacturing to lower the costs of current drugs. That would positively impact millions more people than a new treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. But there's not as much potential profit so....
How exactly is there no potential for large profit there? I’d say there potential for huge profit if you reduce cost of manufacturing drugs!
Manufacturing costs of most drugs are miniscule. Virtually all of their costs and from R&D and the regulatory process.