Oncorus, Inc. (Nasdaq: ONCR), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical
company developing next-generation viral immunotherapies to
transform outcomes for cancer patients, today announced the
appointment of Barbara Yanni to fill a vacancy on its Board of
Directors. Since her retirement from Merck & Co. in 2014, where
she served as Vice President and Chief Licensing Officer, Ms. Yanni
has served as a director of multiple publicly traded and privately
held biopharmaceutical companies. She brings extensive experience
in corporate development, licensing and financial evaluation to
Oncorus, as the company advances its pipeline of intratumorally
(iTu) administered oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus immunotherapies
and intravenously (IV) administered Synthetic viral RNA (vRNA)
immunotherapies.
“We are delighted to welcome Barbara to our Board of Directors
as we continue to make notable progress toward our mission of
realizing the full promise of viral immunotherapies for cancer
patients,” said Theodore (Ted) Ashburn, M.D., Ph.D., President and
CEO of Oncorus. “Later this year, we plan to report initial interim
data from our ongoing Phase 1 study of ONCR-177 in patients. We are
also progressing our lead Synthetic vRNA immunotherapies and the
buildout of our GMP clinical manufacturing facility. We look
forward to Barbara’s insights and contributions as we build for
long-term growth and success.”
Oncorus is advancing a portfolio of iTu- and IV-administered
viral immunotherapies for multiple solid tumor indications with
significant unmet needs based on its oHSV and Synthetic vRNA
Immunotherapy Platforms. The company’s ongoing Phase 1 clinical
trial is evaluating ONCR-177 as a treatment for patients with solid
tumors, both as a monotherapy and in combination with Merck’s
anti-PD-1-therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab). ONCR-177 uniquely
retains the ability to avoid interferon challenge and is armed with
five immune-modulatory payloads. With its lead IV-administered
Synthetic vRNA Immunotherapy candidates, ONCR-021 and ONCR-788,
Oncorus’ pioneering IV-administered approach involves encapsulating
the genomes of RNA viruses known to kill cancer cells (i.e.,
oncolytic viruses, or OVs) in a lipid nanoparticle, or LNP,
creating a Synthetic vRNA Immunotherapy. ONCR-021 encodes an
optimized strain of Coxsackievirus A21 (CVA21), and ONCR-788
encodes a modified version of the Seneca Valley Virus (SVV). Click
here to read a white paper published by Oncorus’ leadership on the
company’s Synthetic vRNA Immunotherapy Platform and lead
candidates.
“Oncorus has multiple elements that lay the foundation for a
successful biotechnology company – an experienced management team,
breakthrough science, pipeline diversification, a comprehensive
manufacturing strategy, and a mission-driven mindset,” said Ms.
Yanni. “I’m thrilled to join Oncorus’ Board and work with Ted, the
Oncorus team and my fellow Board members as we continue to chart an
exciting future for Oncorus, focused exclusively on addressing
persistent and serious unmet needs of cancer patients.”
Ms. Yanni was Vice President and Chief Licensing Officer at
Merck & Co., from November 2001 until her retirement in March
2014. Prior to her role of Chief Licensing Officer, Ms. Yanni had
various roles at Merck including in corporate development,
financial evaluation, and tax. Ms. Yanni is an independent director
currently on the boards of three public biotechnology companies:
Trevena, Inc., Vaccinex, Inc., and Pharming Group N.V. She is also
currently an independent director of Mesentech, a private
biotechnology company. She previously served on the Board of
Directors of Akcea Therapeutics, Inc. from 2019 until the company’s
sale in 2020 and Abionyx Pharma from 2018 to 2020, both of which
were public biotechnology companies, and Symic Holdings, LLC, a
private biotechnology company, from 2015 to 2019.
About Oncorus
At Oncorus, we are focused on driving innovation to deliver
next-generation viral immunotherapies to transform outcomes for
cancer patients. We are advancing a portfolio of intratumorally
(iTu) and intravenously (IV) administered viral immunotherapies for
multiple indications with significant unmet need based on our
oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus (oHSV) and Synthetic viral RNA
(vRNA) Immunotherapy Platforms.
Designed to deliver next-generation viral immunotherapy impact,
our oHSV platform seeks to improve upon key characteristics of this
therapeutic class to enhance systemic activity. Our lead oHSV
program, ONCR-177, is designed to be directly administered into a
tumor, resulting in high local concentrations of the therapeutic
agent and its five encoded transgenes, as well as low systemic
exposure to the therapy, which could limit systemic toxicities. Our
pioneering Synthetic vRNA Immunotherapy Platform involves a highly
innovative, novel combination of RNA- and oncolytic virus-based
modalities to realize the potential of RNA medicines for cancer.
Our lead IV-administered Synthetic vRNA Immunotherapy clinical
candidates, ONCR-021 and ONCR-788, are both currently in
IND-enabling studies.
Please visit www.oncorus.com to learn more.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995, as amended, including, without limitation, implied and
express statements regarding the evolving immuno-oncology
landscape; the potential of Oncorus’ Synthetic vRNA Immunotherapy
Platform; the preclinical and clinical development of Oncorus’
product candidates, including expectations regarding timelines for
reporting clinical data, as well as the product candidates’
therapeutic potential and clinical benefits, mechanism of action
and utility; long-term growth strategies; and expectations
regarding manufacturing capabilities including the buildout of
Oncorus’ viral immunotherapy clinical manufacturing facility. The
words "may," “might,” "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect,"
"plan," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," “expect,” "estimate,"
“seek,” "predict," “future,” "project," "potential," "continue,"
"target" and similar words or expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking
statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking
statements in this press release are based on management's current
expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks,
uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or
results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any
forward-looking statements contained in this press release,
including, without limitation, risks associated with: the impact of
COVID-19 on Oncorus’ operations and the timing and anticipated
results of its ongoing and planned clinical trials; the risk that
the results of preclinical studies and clinical trials may not be
predictive of future results in connection with future clinical
trials; Oncorus’ ability to successfully demonstrate the safety and
efficacy of ONCR-177, ONCR-021 and ONCR-788; Oncorus’ ability to
secure adequate quantities of viral immunotherapies manufactured in
accordance with regulatory requirements; the expansion of Oncorus’
in-house manufacturing capabilities; the adequacy of Oncorus’ cash
resources and availability of financing on commercially reasonable
terms; and Oncorus’ ability to obtain, maintain and protect its
intellectual property. These and other risks and uncertainties are
described in greater detail in the section entitled "Risk Factors"
in Oncorus’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on March 10, 2021, as well as
discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important
factors in the other filings that Oncorus makes with
the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.
These documents are available under the “SEC filings” page of the
Investors section of Oncorus’ website
at http://investors.oncorus.com. Any forward-looking
statements represent Oncorus’ views only as of the date of this
press release and should not be relied upon as representing its
views as of any subsequent date. Oncorus explicitly
disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
No representations or warranties (expressed or implied) are made
about the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements.
Investor Contact:Alan LadaSolebury
Trout617-221-8006alada@soleburytrout.com |
Media Contact:Liz
Meloneliz.melone@oncorus.com |
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