Seeking Alpha -- Oncolytics surges on encouraging pelareorep + CAR T data in solid tumors
Feb. 23, 2021 7:52 AM ET Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (ONCY)
By: Dulan Lokuwithana, SA News Editor
Oncolytics Biotech (NASDAQ:ONCY) has gained 13.6% in the premarket after announcing preclinical data from a study evaluating the treatment combination of pelareorep and chimeric antigen receptor (“CAR”) T cell in solid tumors.
The data reported with the publication of an electronic poster at the CAR-TCR Summit Europe 2021has indicated that loading CAR T cells with pelareorep significantly improved their persistence and efficacy in a murine solid tumor model (survival rate at end of the study: 57% [4/7]).
The performance of pelareorep, an intravenously delivered immuno-oncolytic virus, contrasts with the preclinical studies using intratumoral infection with the VSV oncolytic virus that weakened CAR T cells, the company said.
A pelareorep boost introduced 8 days later with a single intravenous dose of pelareorep further enhanced the efficacy of pelareorep-loaded CAR T cell (survival rate at end of the study: 100% [7/7]) generating highly persistent CAR T cells, inhibition of recurrent tumor growth, and ultimately tumor cures.
The intravenous boosting with VSV did not augment the efficacy of CAR/Pela therapy or prevent the growth of recurrent tumors (survival rate at end of the study: 42% [3/7]).
"These very exciting data demonstrate pelareorep's ability to overcome major shortcomings of CAR T cells," commented Matt Coffey CEO of Oncolytics.
“This would be a major advancement, as it would substantially broaden the applicability of CAR T cells to a variety of highly prevalent and difficult-to-treat indications."
In October, Oncolytics announced a Phase 1/2 trial to investigate the effect of pelareorep, in combination with Roche's anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab (Tecentriq), in patients with metastatic pancreatic, colorectal, and advanced anal cancers.
