Oncolytics Biotech® Announces Publication of Preclinical Data Demonstrating the Synergistic Anti-Cancer Activity of Pelareorep Combined with CAR T Cell Therapy in Solid Tumors in Science Translational Medicine

– Pelareorep-CAR T combination may expand the commercial potential of CAR T cells to solid tumors

– Combining CAR T cells with pelareorep prevented antigen escape by creating CAR T cells with dual specificity through a novel mechanism

– Loading CAR T cells with pelareorep led to dramatic improvements in their persistence and anti-cancer activity as well as cures in multiple murine solid tumor models

Excerpt from the Press Release:

SAN DIEGO, Calif. and CALGARY, AB, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Oncolytics Biotech^® Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC) today announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating the synergistic anti-cancer activity of pelareorep combined with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy in solid tumors. The paper, entitled “Oncolytic virus-mediated expansion of dual-specific CAR T cells improves efficacy against solid tumors in mice,” was published in Science Translational Medicine in collaboration with researchers at several prestigious institutions, including the Mayo Clinic and Duke University. A link to the paper can be found by clicking here.

“Having these results published in such a high-impact journal provides important external validation of their significance,” said Thomas Heineman, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. “While CAR T cells have generated long-term cures in hematologic malignancies¹, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments (TMEs) of solid organ cancers have thus far limited their efficacy in these indications. Pelareorep has repeatedly been shown to reverse immunosuppressive TMEs, and in the present publication pelareorep is shown to enable the effectiveness of CAR T cells in multiple murine solid tumor models. This is a powerful finding that, if translated to the clinic, could significantly improve the prognosis of patients with a variety of highly prevalent cancers by providing a novel and potentially durable treatment option. By demonstrating the ability to improve T cell perseverance, reduce antigen escape, and overcome challenging solid tumor TMEs, the inclusion of pelareorep addresses the three most challenging roadblocks to effective CAR T therapy.”

Andrew de Guttadauro, President of Oncolytics Biotech U.S. and Global Head of Business Development, added, “Despite revolutionizing the treatment of certain cancers and surpassing a billion dollars in sales last year, CAR T therapies currently only serve a small subset of patients suffering from hematologic malignancies. With these latest results, we now have strong preclinical evidence that pelareorep can fully unlock the value of CAR T therapies by expanding their commercial potential to the significantly larger market of cancer patients who are battling solid tumors.”

Preclinical studies published in the paper evaluated the persistence and efficacy of pelareorep-loaded CAR T cells (“CAR/Pela therapy”) in multiple murine solid tumor models. 

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