CALGARY, March 26, 2015 /CNW/ - Oncolytics
Biotech® Inc. ("Oncolytics") (TSX:ONC)
(NASDAQ:ONCY) today announced that Dr. Giovanni Selvaggi MD, Vice President, Clinical
Development, made a presentation titled "REOLYSIN® and
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Rationale for Combination Therapy" at
the 2015 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors meeting being held from
March 24th to
26th in Boston, MA. The
presentation included data from single arm clinical studies in
patients with primary glioblastomas or brain metastases (REO 013b)
and advanced pancreatic cancer (REO 017), as well as preclinical
data.
Highlights of the data presented include:
- REOLYSIN® inducing the up-regulation of PD-1 and
PD-L1 in target tissues in patients with primary glioblastomas or
brain metastases, and that this up-regulation is strongly
associated with productive reoviral infection (REO 013b);
- The combination of REOLYSIN® and gemcitabine
inducing PD-L1 expression in tumour samples from pancreatic cancer
patients (REO 017); and
- The combination of REOLYSIN®, GM-CSF, anti-PD-1 and
anti-CTLA-4 improved survival in immune competent mice versus
REOLYSIN® and GM-CSF alone and REOLYSIN® and
GM-CSF plus either one of the checkpoint inhibitors alone.
"The anti-PD-1/PD-L1 class of drugs is currently one of the most
promising new therapeutic areas in oncology and works by helping
the body's immune system recognize and eliminate tumours," said Dr.
Brad Thompson, President and CEO of
Oncolytics. "Higher levels of PD-1 and PD-L1 may improve this class
of drugs' effectiveness. The discovery that PD-1 and PD-L1 are
up-regulated or increased in tumours in patients treated with
REOLYSIN®, combined with our animal model data findings
to this point, may indicate that REOLYSIN® is a
potentiator for the entire anti-PD-1/PD-L1 drug class. We intend to
immediately incorporate these findings into our clinical
program."
REO 013b (brain) is a U.K. open-label, non-randomized,
single-center study of REOLYSIN® given
intravenously to patients prior to planned surgery for recurrent
high grade primary or metastatic brain tumours in advance of their
scheduled operations to remove brain tumours.
REO 017 is a U.S. Phase II single-arm clinical trial using
intravenous administration of REOLYSIN® in combination
with gemcitabine (Gemzar®) in chemotherapy-naïve
patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer.
A copy of the presentation will be available 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 clinical and preclinical work
with checkpoint inhibitors, the translational study in brain
cancer, the Phase II single-arm clinical trial in pancreatic
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.