CALGARY,
Dec. 4, 2014 /CNW/ - Oncolytics
Biotech Inc. ("Oncolytics") (TSX:ONC) (NASDAQ:ONCY) today announced
a poster presentation by the Company's research collaborators, Vile
et al., titled "Combination Therapy with Reovirus and PD-1 Blockade
Effectively Establishes Tumour Control Via Innate and Adaptive
Immune Responses" was made at the AACR Tumor Immunology and
Immunotherapy Conference being held from December 1st through 4th in
Orlando, Florida.
"The preclinical data presented by our
collaborators demonstrates that REOLYSIN® increases the
therapeutic activity of check point inhibitors," said Dr.
Brad Thompson, President and CEO of
Oncolytics. "This finding is critical and supportive of the further
investigation of REOLYSIN® in combination with this
important new class of therapeutics."
REOLYSIN® has been found to generate
both an anti-tumour response against reovirus-infected tumour cells
and an immune reaction as those cells are killed. The
collaborators' research intended to exploit the immune components
of reovirus therapy by testing REOLYSIN® in combination
with systemic checkpoint inhibition (using anti-PD-1 antibodies),
which increases the immune system's ability to recognize and attack
cancer cells.
Testing of the combination was conducted in
immune-competent mouse models with established B16 melanomas. The
investigators concluded that in this model, administering systemic
anti-PD-1 antibody with intra-tumoural reovirus significantly
enhanced survival compared to intra-tumoural reovirus alone
(p<0.01), with 40% of the mice being cured long-term; that
combination therapy of reovirus with PD-1 blockade delivers
significant survival benefit by augmenting tumour specific NK
(natural killer) responses and specifically attenuating tumour
specific immunosuppression; and, that the combination of checkpoint
inhibition therapy with reovirus oncolytic/immunotherapy represents
a readily translatable method to enhance the therapeutic value of
either alone.
Two other abstracts examining the use of the
reovirus, titled "PDL-1 Blockade and Sunitinib Enhance the
Efficiency of Oncolytic Viral Therapy" by Morris et al., and
"Systemic Oncolytic Reovirus for the Treatment of Primary and
Secondary Brain Tumors" by Melcher et al., were submitted and
presented as posters. Copies of the abstracts and posters,
when available, will be found on the Oncolytics website at:
http://www.oncolyticsbiotech.com/for-investors/presentations.
About Oncolytics Biotech
Inc.
Oncolytics is a Calgary-based biotechnology company focused on
the development of oncolytic viruses as potential cancer
therapeutics. Oncolytics' clinical program includes a variety
of later-stage, randomized human trials in various indications
using REOLYSIN®, its proprietary formulation of the
human reovirus. For further information about Oncolytics, please
visit: www.oncolyticsbiotech.com.
This press release contains forward-looking
statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking
statements, including the Company's expectations related to
preclinical work with checkpoint inhibitors, the translational
study in brain cancer, future trials in these indications, and the
Company's belief as to the potential of REOLYSIN® as a
cancer therapeutic, involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to
differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the
availability of funds and resources to pursue research and
development projects, the efficacy of REOLYSIN® as
a cancer treatment, the tolerability of REOLYSIN®
outside a controlled test, the success and timely completion of
clinical studies and trials, the Company's ability to successfully
commercialize REOLYSIN®, uncertainties related to the
research, development and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, changes
in technology, general changes to the economic environment and
uncertainties related to the regulatory process. Investors should
consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the
Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information
on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking
statements. Investors should consider statements that include the
words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates",
"plans", "projects", "should", or other expressions that are
predictions of or indicate future events or trends, to be uncertain
and forward-looking. Investors are cautioned against placing undue
reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not
undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as
required by applicable laws.
SOURCE Oncolytics Biotech Inc.